Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8-10 hours on Low, or 4-6 hours on High
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet work well), peeled and cubed
- 1 cup red wine (optional, can substitute with additional beef broth)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- Optional for thickening: Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
1. Prep the beef: Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss beef cubes to coat them evenly.
2. Sear your meat: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan). Transfer the seared beef to your slow cooker.
3. Sauté the vegetables: Add remaining oil to the pan. Sauté onions until softened (about 3 minutes). Add garlic, cook for another minute. Deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine or beef broth, scraping up browned bits. Transfer to the slow cooker.
4. Add to the slow cooker: Add carrots, potatoes, red wine (if using), beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
5. Cook it low and slow: Cover your Crock-Pot and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours, or until the beef is very tender.
6. Finishing touches: About 30 minutes before serving, if you want to thicken the stew, create a cornstarch slurry (combine cornstarch and cold water). Stir the slurry into the stew a little at a time until it reaches your desired thickness. Add the frozen peas and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes more.
7. Remove bay leaf and season: Discard the bay leaf before serving. Adjust salt and pepper if needed
8. Enjoy! Serve steaming hot with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or over a bed of noodles.
Tips
Quality cut: Chuck roast is ideal, but other stewing cuts work too.
Searing adds flavor: It’s optional, but takes the flavor up a notch!
Vegetable variation: Add your favorites like parsnips, celery, mushrooms, etc.
Make it ahead: You can prep ingredients the night before and store them in the fridge, then just dump everything in the slow cooker in the morning.
