Whoa. Just, WHOA. I’ve never smelled anything as lovely and drool-inducing as this Slow Cooker Beef Stew. The incredible aroma had my mouth watering for hours as the tender chunks of beef and vegetables simmered away in the flavorful gravy. I couldn’t wait to lift the lid and take a quick taste. And when I finally did? INCREDIBLE. This crockpot beef stew recipe is one you’ll definitely want to make before winter is over!
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Ingredients for Beef Stew
Beef stew, in its most basic form, is really simple. It’s just chunky pieces of beef, vegetables, broth, and some herbs and spices, all cooked down until it forms a delicious cozy gravy. But I took this beef stew recipe up a few notches with some extra special ingredients that add more umami and flavor to the stew gravy. The ingredient list may look long, but I promise it’s worth it. Here’s what you’ll need for the most incredible crockpot beef stew ever:
- Beef Stew Meat – Stew meat, which is usually cubed chuck steak, tends to be a tougher cut, but it softens to an extremely tender texture when cooked low and slow (like in a slow cooker).
- All-Purpose Flour – Lightly coating the stew meat in flour and then searing it before it goes into the slow cooker increases the Maillard reaction and deepens the flavor. The flour also helps thicken the stew’s gravy.
- Vegetables – We use a hearty and flavorful mix of carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes to create a naturally flavorful gravy. The vegetables also help thicken the gravy as they break down into the broth.
- Beef Broth – Broth acts as the base for the gravy and provides a nice moist environment for the meat to cook to tender perfection. Make sure to use a broth with great flavor. We like to use Better Than Bouillon to make our broth.
- Seasonings – This is where we really take the flavor to the next level. For this recipe, we combined garlic, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rosemary, and thyme to make an over-the-top good gravy that is full of layered flavor and umami goodness.
How to Thicken Beef Stew
There are multiple ways to thicken a beef stew, but I prefer to allow the stew to thicken naturally as the vegetables cook and begin to break down into the broth. The stew may look a little watery when you first lift the lid, but once you begin to stir, the starches in the vegetables will begin to thicken the liquid into a gravy-like consistency.
Alternately, if you prefer a firmer vegetable, you can add them in the last hour of cooking and then use a cornstarch slurry (3 Tbsp cornstarch + 3 Tbsp water) to thicken your stew. Once the cornstarch is mixed into the broth and brought to a boil, it will thicken into a gravy. This method will result in a less flavorful gravy and a slightly glossy appearance.
What Else Can I add?
This slow cooker beef stew is pretty lush as is, but there are always options if you want to add more! Try adding 8 oz. mushrooms with the vegetables in the beginning (sliced in half) for more vegetable goodness. If you have some red wine on hand, deglaze the skillet used to brown the beef with the wine before proceeding with the gravy. Want it to look extra fancy? Sub 8 oz. pearl onions in place of the chopped onion in the recipe below.
Tips for the Best Beef Stew
- Sear the meat first. Browning the beef gives it an extra deep flavor that can’t be achieved in the moist environment of the slow cooker alone.
- Add extra umami. Adding ingredients to the broth that contain a lot of umami, like Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce, ramps up the flavor in the stew and makes the flavor extra “meaty”.
- Don’t rush it. Stew meat needs to cook low and slow for a long time in order for the tough connective tissues to break down and become tender. If your stew meat is tough, reduce the heat and cook it a little longer.
- Don’t skip the veggies. Including a variety of vegetables in your stew not only adds texture and color, but the vegetables also add a ton of extra flavor to the gravy, so you’ll get a delicious, multi-dimensional flavor in the final stew.
What To Serve with Beef Stew
This crockpot beef stew is a pretty well-rounded meal on its own, but you’ll want to sop up every drop of that deliciously thick brown gravy. I suggest serving your Slow Cooker Beef Stew with some bread on the side, like my Focaccia Rolls, or over a bowl of Creamy Polenta, warm rice, or egg noodles.
Love Beef Stew? You’ve got to try my Chicken Stew next!
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Servings 8 1.25 cups eachIngredients
- 2 lbs. red potatoes ($2.40)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.37)
- 3 carrots ($0.44)
- 4 stalks celery ($0.44)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1.5 lbs. beef stew meat ($11.24)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
- 2 cups beef broth ($0.27)
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard ($0.13)
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.06)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.06)
- 1.5 tsp brown sugar ($0.02)
- 1.5 tsp dried rosemary ($0.15)
- 1.5 tsp dried thyme ($0.15)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and red potatoes. Slice the carrots and celery. Mince the garlic. Place the prepared vegetables in a four or five quart slow cooker.
- Place the stew meat in a bowl and sprinkle the flour, salt, and pepper over top. Toss the meat until it's evenly coated in flour.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Once very hot, add the cooking oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the stew meat and cook, without stirring, until browned on the bottom. Stir and then allow the beef to brown on a second side. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
- Turn the heat under the skillet down to medium-low. Add the broth, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rosemary, and thyme to the skillet. Stir and cook over medium-low until all the browned bits have dissolved off the bottom of the skillet.
- Pour the broth over the ingredients in the slow cooker and everything a good stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours.
- After cooking the meat and vegetables should both be tender. Stir the stew well to allow the potatoes to slightly break down and thicken the gravy. Taste the stew and adjust the salt or other seasonings to your liking. Serve hot!
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How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew – Step by Step Photos
Prepare the vegetables for the stew first. You’ll need to dice 2 lbs. red potatoes and one yellow onion, slice 4 stalks of celery and 3 carrots, and mince 4 cloves of garlic.
Place all of your chopped vegetables in a 4 or 5-quart slow cooker or crockpot.
Place 1.5 lbs. stew meat (beef chuck) in a bowl. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper over the meat. Toss the beef until it’s evenly coated in flour, salt, and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. When it’s very hot, add 2 Tbsp cooking oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the stew meat and let it cook until browned on the bottom, then stir and allow it to brown on the second side again. Do not stir often, or the beef will not have a chance to brown. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium-low and add 2 cups beef broth, 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tsp brown sugar, 1.5 tsp dried rosemary, and 1.5 tsp thyme. Heat and stir the ingredients until all of the browned bits are dissolved off the bottom of the skillet.
Pour the broth over the ingredients in the slow cooker. It’s okay if the broth does not fully cover the ingredients in the slow cooker at this point.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours.
After four hours on high (or eight hours on low) the stew should look a little like this. The meat and vegetables should both be tender. The gravy may look a little thin at this point, but don’t worry…
Give the stew a good stir and the potatoes will break down a bit and thicken the gravy into a nice rich consistency. Depending on the type of broth used, you may want to taste the stew and add salt to your liking (I did not add any).
Serve the Slow Cooker Beef Stew as is or spooned over a bowl of hot rice or pasta. THIS will keep you warm and full on cold winter days!
This is the first stew I ever made and the first time for me to use a crockpot. I think this is the best stew I ever had anywhere! It’s very flavorful! The only thing I did different was I added a yellow squash and used minced garlic.
So easy and so DELICIOUS!
Is the broth suppose to cover all the veggies?
No it doesn’t need to!
Fantastic stew! Made it as is the first time and my family loved it. The next time, I omitted the sugar and added about 2/3 cup of merlot. That definitely took it to the next level!
Looking forward to making this- thank you for sharing! :)
One question: I’m allergic to onions- if I’m going to omit them, would it be best to increase the amount of garlic? Celery? I’ve been trying to figure out what the best substitute is, since they’re so integral to many soup/stew recipes!
Are you also allergic to leeks? That would be a good substitute. If you are, I’d say yes to increasing the amount of celery and garlic a bit to make up for it!
Can I use lemon infused olive oil
That would probably be okay. A more neutral oil is preferred, and those type of infused oils are typically more for drizzling or vinaigrettes, but I don’t think it would ruin it.
This barely fit in a 5 quart slow cooker! can’t mix it all together – there’s no space! Would recommend a bigger slow cooker or use smaller portions.
I made this with yellow golds and on the stove with a cast iron pot with sealed cover. I broke my crock pot lid when I was taking it out of the cabinet so this was my alternative. It worked perfectly fine and in a much fast time. Thanks :) smelled delicious the whole time!
I have been using the same slow-cooker beef stew recipe for a few years, and I’ve been looking for a different recipe. My old recipe felt as if it was missing some flavor.
This recipe, however, is amazing! Has a nice layer of flavor and is just so good. I worry about soy sauce in recipes because I don’t care for it all that much, but the Tbsp of soy sauce really adds a good bit of flavor to everything. This stew is absolutely fantastic!
The flour, salt, and pepper on the beef combined with a nice sear really elevates this, too. I will be sending this to my friends.
15 min prep time LOL
Going to pantry to get potatoes
Peeling and chopping potatoes
Going back to pantry to get onion
Peel and chop onion
Digging through fridge for carrots and celery and chop
Back to pantry for garlic peel and chop
Go to store to get Worcestershire (did not count this time) lol
Break up brown sugar
THIS ALL TOOK LONGER THAN 15 MINUTES lol
But it turned out great
Going to try it. Never thought to brown beef before adding to pot 👍👍.
Can’t wait to cook that beef stew! It looks delicious Going out to buy the meat right now
I am gluten intolerant, thoughts on subbing the flour and the soy sauce? Thank you in advance!
We don’t do a lot of gluten-free cooking, but If you use a 1:1 gluten-free flour regularly and use it to make roux, then that should work fine here. You can omit the soy sauce.
Subbed small yellow potatoes and all was well, not mushy. Used canned mixed vegetables so I had canned peas, carrots and green beans and added it the last hour of cooking and it came out great. Definitely doing this again, next time will use all fresh veggies 🥗. Thanks
Can I add red wine? Would I use 1 cup wine+1 cup beef broth or 1 cup wine + 2 cups beef broth?
That would be delish! I would do 1:1 wine and broth or even 1/2 cup wine, 1.5 cups broth.
This turned out amazing! I only subbed yellow potatoes for the red, and honey mustard instead of dijon cause that’s what I had on hand. This turned out so delicious! The broth was very flavourful, and 8 hours on low was perfect. I didn’t find that any of the veggies were mushy like what some had said in their reviews. This recipe yielded quite a lot so I am all set on mealprep for the week! For me it made about 6-8 servings depending on how much you eat. Would definitely make this again.
Can I use other types of potatoes?
You can use any potato you like! We like red potatoes as they hold their shape a little better, so if you use something like a russet just be sure not to over cook or they’ll get mushy.
Not that much flavor
This is a great recipe, but the numbered/print recipe leaves off adding the garlic and it trips me up every time!
We Love this recipe! We altered it a little by using less potatoes and rosemary and add more carrots and fresh green beans.
this looks great but the ingredient ratio seems way off… 2 lbs of potatoes? that’s a ton compared to the pictures
Two pounds sounds like a lot, but potatoes are quite heavy. It may not look like they would weigh that much but they do! Some potatoes can weight a pound a piece sometimes. :)
Hi! My family is not a big fan of thyme, can you please suggest another dried herb I can use as a replacement? Thank you!
Great recipe would make again ! BUT prep time is much longer I consider myself a very experienced cook
This recipe is on repeat at our house. Delicious!
This was delicious! It was a little time consuming but worth the effort! I did not change a thing. Best beef stew ever!
It’s sweet?
No :)
How can I make this in an instapot? My crockpot broke.
The Instant Pot probably has a slow cooker setting, so you could just use it as a slow cooker. As far as pressure cooking, I’d need to test it with that function first before offering advice.
I am looking forward to trying this! Would you think adding a little cornstarch would change the flavor much? I like my stew to have a thick, hearty broth and I wonder if this recipe makes more of a soupy broth.
It won’t change the flavor, no. :)
I was hoping to cook this on low. Would you think low for 8 hours would work? Also, I’m doubling it and using my Ninja Multicooker which is larger and has a slow cook feature.
Low for 8 would be fine! However I can’t say for sure that the timing would work out after doubling the recipe, but if your cooker is bigger and would allow that much volume than it should be okay.
Considering the vegetables (specifically the potatoes) can this stew be frozen after cooking? Thanks!
I know some people don’t like to freeze and thaw potatoes, but I’ve never had issues with texture changes, so I would definitely freeze this. :) All of the other vegetables are already cooked, so you don’t have to worry about them becoming limp like you do with fresh vegetables.
Can I swap out the red potatoes for Idaho potatoes? It is what we have in stock and I’d love to avoid another trip to the store.
You can, just be aware that russet potatoes break down easier than red potatoes, so they might get mushy or dissolve into the gravy more.
Absolutely delicious! The potatoes did get a bit mushy and it became very thick with cooking on low for 8 hours, but honestly we loved it. I added frozen peas at the last hour or so as the comments suggested.
I added drop dumplings on top to steam for the last hour using the Budget Bytes Chicken and Dumplings recipe, except I like to add fresh parsley and green onion in the mix. :)
Very decent, simple beef stew recipe. Loaded with veg, this makes a great, warm, hearty meal on a rainy day.
This recipe was delicious! And as the blog description discusses, it smelled so good while it was cooking. My only feedback is it didn’t turn out to be 8 servings for my family of 5. Everyone had one bowl and it was gone. Next time, I’ll double the recipe. I sautéed the meat in my instant pot, then used the slow cooker function for the cooking. A wonderful one-pot meal!
I’m glad you repost these fabulous recipes. I have forgotten about it and love seeing it again. It’s so helpful to read all the comments too because after awhile, others have made alterations to suit themselves and that really expands the recipe for me.
Could I make this with pork stew meat?
Hi! With some tweaking, I think pork stew meat (from the tenderloin) will work in this recipe! Since pork tenderizes at a different rate and temperature than beef, I would suggest cooking the stew on low instead of high (so it doesn’t get tough), and increasing the cooking time significantly to compensate. I’m not sure how long it will take since we haven’t tested it ourselves, but it will take at least 5.5-6 hours…it’s done once the meat reaches a safe internal temperature of at least 160*F. ~ Marion :)
I made this once before and it was fantastic. I’d like to serve it to Company on Saturday. I’m trying to decide whether I should make it the day before so the flavors have time to meld but I wonder how it would reheat in the slow cooker. Or should I just do it that afternoon?
Very good beef stew. I followed the recipe exactly but did have to add a cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken.
This was delicious! More depth of flavor than any other slow cooker beef stew recipe I’ve tried previously. I followed the recipe exactly except I added frozen peas at the very end.
What size of slow cooker is the recipe for?
We made ours in a five quart. XOXO -Monti
Made this exactly according to the recipe, and it was soooooo good. Next time I make it I’ll probably throw in a splash of red wine, but that’s based on my preferences and it’s amazing as is.
Thanks for a great recipe!
I just wanna say that this recipe is the best, my all time favorite!! I am going on 22 and have been making this recipe since I found it when I was 13. I’ve made it for family get togethers, date night, Christmas and Thanksgiving and even a soup exchange party. Nearly everyone who enjoys it with me come back for seconds. I rarely have left overs. Thank you for the many wonderful dinners you’ve provided with this recipe! Got it going right now in my crock pot, gonna be a fantastic night.
That’s so cool!! Thank you for sharing that with me. :)
Can this be cooked on low for longer, or would it change the consistency too much?
Yes. Cook on low for 8 hours. XOXO -Monti
This was soooo good, definitely the best beef stew recipe I’ve made. Smelled amazing when it was cooking.
I e made this several times and is now my go-to beef stew recipe! Excellent!! Love all your recipes!
This looks sooo good, I can’t believe I haven’t made it before. Will definitely be saving for when it gets cold again :)
Great recipe but ads that autorefresh with sound are a huge turnoff! Went from being a lovely cooking experience to incredibly frustrating.
I have been making this recipe for 3 years now, and it never fails to be the best beef stew I have ever cooked or tasted! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
This is going to be the recipe that makes me buy a slow cooker. I do have one question – the Instant Pot recipe includes mushrooms and I would like to use them here also. Would it work to just add mushrooms along with the other veg? Thanks.
Yep! I’d just toss them in there with everything else. :)
It’s in the slow cooker as I’m writing this and smells abso Divine! I’ll let ya know how all my men (4) of em enjoy this hearty mea as well as me! Loving this concept so far! Maybe worried a bit about the amount of meat (3 lbs) and the amount (lotsa) veggies compared to liquid but I’ll add some beef broth maybe and thyme bay leaves and rosemary w it if I think too much and start to worry as it cooks down. Hoping lotsa moisture is added from veggies
can this be made in an instant?
Here is my Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe.
This was outstanding! I only had russet potatoes at home and my husband isn’t super keen on thyme so I omitted that but wow, this was so good. I cut the beef cubes in half and mixed them into the veg and juices and had no issues with the 4.5 hour cook time. And the house smelled amazing. Served it with garlic buns. Highly recommend for a snowy Canadian night when in need of a warm, easy, comforting meal.
I made this recipe for dinner and it was very good. I copied what someone had said about the vegetables being on top of the meat and mine came out great. Will be making it again.
I’ve made this in the slow cooker a bunch of times and recently made it on the stovetop in a Dutch oven — even easier since it made it a one-pot recipe. Browned the beef then threw the broth in to loosen up the stuck-on bits, then added everything else. Simmered for 3-4 hours with the lid on and the meat was already falling apart (in a good way). Thanks as always Beth!
Would this recipe/flavour set work with lamb/mutton instead of beef?
Probably, although I haven’t cooked lamb or mutton so I’m not familiar with any specific considerations needed for that type of meat.
I’ve made this with lamb several times (I haven’t made any changes to the above recipe) and I think it turns out pretty delicious!
Wow. This was incredible. My prep time was longer because I’m honestly a terrible cook. But seriously this was worth it. I’ll never make stew another way.
Trying to edit. I was giving it 5 stars
I love this recipe. The flavours are so good and it’s very easy and filling. One note because I didn’t see it written here and would like to prevent someone from making the same mistake: this did NOT freeze well :( the potatoes got all soggy and there was a ton of water at the top. I freeze a lot of Budget Bytes recipes, but this one just didn’t work. (It wasn’t recommended as a freezer recipe, so it was 100% my bad, just wanted to note!)
I add an extra cup of red wine, Italian seasoning, extra garlic, extra rosemary and fresh thyme. Golden potatoes instead of red potatoes, and added shallots. This is one of our favorite stews we love variations of it and are never disappointing! Thank you for posting!
Is there a way to do this in an instapot?
Here’s the IP version: Instant Pot Beef Stew
This turned out pretty good. I had more meat than what the recipe called for so I increased all the ingredients about 59% to match the meat quantity. I messed up a bit and added 4 cups of broth instead of 3 (2 × 1.59), but I think it didn’t matter much. I made it in a 8 quart instant pot on the slow cooker high setting for 4 hours, but it barely fit with being 59% more. I layered it so the potatoes were on the bottom, then carrots, celery, onions, and meat. I think browning the meat is a good idea and wouldn’t skip it, but I spent way more time than 30 minutes browning the meat and prepping the ingredients. The vegetables came out cooked all the way through, but not mushy and the celery/onions had a bit of crunch. If you prefer the vegetables to fall apart, you will probably need to cook it longer than 4 hours. The meat was at 200 degrees F at the end of cooking. The broth had a good, but somewhat subtle, flavor (probably made somewhat more subtle by the extra cup of liquid). The rosemary comes through well, but I would prefer more garlic flavor. We ended up with about 6 full meal servings (ie not served with anything else) and some of those will probably be frozen for later.
I will probably make this again, but I will probably add more garlic, less celery/onions, and more seasonings to match my preferences.
This recipe is definitely made to be cooked on low for 8-9 hours as opposed to on high for 4. Next time I will try the tip from Daniel Ptak re: the layering as I always put my hard vegetables on the bottom of the slow cooker and meat on top. I have never stirred the meat in with vegetables – ever – in a stew. That is meant for chilis or soups. No need to serve pasta or rice as this meal has enough carbs and is starchy enough as is with the potatoes. Very flavourful otherwise. :)
Wanted to warn people that this recipe doesn’t work great if using the slow cooker function on the instant pot. It is 7AM and ours has been cooking since 4PM yesterday. I think it’s just too much stuff for the shape of the pot. It smells amazing … hopefully it will be done by lunch so we can try it! Next time I will try the instant pot version I saw you linked in a reply above.
This was delicious! Love a good slow cooker meal. I cooked this on low for 8hrs :)
This is my absolute favorite beef stew recipe!
Question– if I have 3 lbs of Chuck roast, will 6 hours be enough for it to cook?
Yes you should be okay, or you could go to 8.
I’ve made this many times. It is a winner. So fragrant and tasty, comfort food at its finest. And so easy! I love Budget Bytes for easy recipes that taste amazing. Thank you!
Yum so delicious, I would love to make recipes as like you. This looks so amazing and delicious also I would love to share this blog with my friends.
Subbed lamb/mutton for beef and this recipe absolutely still lived up to its high ratings! It was torturous waiting the last hour and a half of cooking, but the result was every bit as enjoyable as the anticipation <3 This is the first stew I've ever made that could compete with the ones my mom's been making for decades. Really rich and satiating flavour that will warm and fill you from your frozen toes to your longing heart. "Home in a hotpot" tonight for me!
One modification I do to this recipe, using a on sale roast I cut up (vs stew meat nill difference other than I can control meat chunk size), Pop the cork on a bottle of a dark read wine, toss the meat into a bowl, and cover in the wine. Marinate it overnight.. Then start from step 1.
Makes a really tasty boost to the flavor.
Oh great tip! Thank you for sharing.
I always go for a chuck roast over generic “stew” meat. Better fat content which makes a better fnished product.
I wait for meat to go on sale…roasts, steak anything that can be used for beef stew. I cut it up and freeze it myself in single use bags….flat so they don’t take up much room. That price per pound for meat should be able to be cut way back.
Yes great tip!
Just did it and its DELICIOUS!!!!! Thank you so so so much for your detailed recipe and for the pictures! I literally did step by step!!!
Happy to hear it Yaymi!
Making this this weekend now that’s finally cold out! I’m excited.
It’s finally time! Enjoy Shelby!
I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it several times for myself (I eat it for a week and put the rest of the servings in the freezer), but I also made it for a dinner party and it was a huge hit with everyone! I often will stretch it out to more servings by serving it over rice like the recipe suggests. It’s also amazing with homemade bread. Great recipe, Beth!
Oh how fun!
think you can make this one in the instantpot?
I actually have an Intant Pot version that is based on this recipe. :) Instant Pot Beef Stew
How would this hold up if we cooked on low for an extended period of time? I work 9-6 and would love to have this waiting for me when I got home to serve up for dinner.
Yes, you can definitely do that. Your vegetables might be on the soft side, but I personally like it when the vegetables break down and make the stew all thick and delicious!
Absolutely true unless you use this trick. usually, you put the vegetables down into this slow cooker first and the meat on top but in this case it actually works better if you put the meat on the bottom with a liquid and the vegetables on top of the meat the harder vegetables going closer to the bottom So the carrots would go first. This actually stops the vegetables from overcooking and allows the beef to cook in its own broth making it super tender.
Great tutorial regarding technical aspects as always. Respect to you and the team!
The recipe says dried rosemary but it doesn’t say whether the thyme is also dried or fresh? Does that mean it calls for fresh thyme? Thanks!
Yes, it’s dried, thanks for catching that! :)
Any reason why dried and not fresh?
Dried herbs will hold up in the slow cooker for the duration.
Loved it! My picky eater son couldn’t get enough of it for leftovers!
If you freeze it..would freeze before or after it is cooked?
I would freeze this after cooking. It will thicken quite a bit upon refrigeration and freezing, but as long as that’s not a problem for you, it’s great.
This was even better than the Chuckwagon Stew recipe I’ve been using since 1970 from the Better Homes and Gardens Meat cookbook .
The only change I made was not to serve over rice or pasta since there were potatoes already in the stew. I removed all the meat and vegetables to a big dish and covered to keep warm. Then I added a roux of flour and water to the liquids, covered for about another 5 minutes and voila! gravy.
This is definitely a keeper!
Fantastic recipe. I have made it twice and it is very tasty. Can I make it a bit Irish by adding Guinness beer?
I haven’t tried that, but it sounds like it would be delicious!
I made this last night for company and was very disappointed. Reading the ingredients it sounded delicious, but when made we found it kind of tasteless. There was no one or two outstanding flavors. I agreed with the people who urged sauteeing the onions (and celery) to add to the flavor, but I followed the recipe exactly for the first time. In reflection I agreed with the idea of adding beer or wine to kick up the flavor. I also found the balance of meat to vegetables was out of proportion — there should be more meat and less vegetables and potatoes. I wish I had tried it for just us before making it for guests.
Would this freeze well?
It should freeze pretty well. :)
Hi, whenever I make this or a similar recipe, every time I add the dijon mustard it forms little lumps. After I add all the liquids and spices together (worcestershire, etc.) I end up with a broth that has a lot of grainy particles floating in it. Any way to prevent this and get everything incorporated properly?
It was grainy even after cooking? It should emulsify together as it cooks.
I whisked the liquid mixture before adding it to the crock pot to make sure everything was well combined.
I never leave reviews, but this one deserves it. I’ve made tons of different beef stews over the years, including just winging it (but I cook all the time and have quite a few recipes of my own). This is definitely the best I’ve had. Sometimes I use fresh rosemary from my garden; sometimes I use russet potatoes because I always have them on hand. Either way, it’s always perfect. My whole family loves it.
I have to make this gluten free. Cpuld I use corn starch instead of all purpose flour? How much corn starch would I use?
Cornstarch and flour have slightly different properties, so it probably won’t turn out exactly the same. I haven’t tested it with cornstarch to know exactly how that substitution would affect the results, though.
Would this work if I substitute the potatoes for sweet potatoes?
I think the flavors would be great together, although I think sweet potatoes may tend to break down a bit more than white potatoes, so I’m not sure how they’ll hold up texture-wise.
Hi! Would this be relatively the same instructions for an instant pot?
I’ve done this with the crock pot and it’s my all time favorite recipe but since then have upgraded to instant pot
Yes, most slow cooker recipes translate very easily to the Instant Pot because they’re both moist cooking methods. So you should be able to get very similar results with the IP. :)
This is probably a dumb question but would you use your instructions for your instant pot stew for this? I like the ingredients a little better in this one but we don’t have enough time to let it slow cook. We love your recipes!! :)
Yes, you sure can! :) MY IP stew recipe was based on this recipe, so they should work about the same.
Hi, do you think this stew would also work if the beef was substituted with lamb instead? Lamb is often cheaper to buy where I live.
Yes, that would probably work fine. :)
Thank you, can confirm it worked wonderfully :) the flavours in the sauce are just incredible! I added a little bit of red wine also which mixed in very well.
I make this recipe on a weekly basis, it’s a huge hit in our family. I don’t follow the recipe exactly, and tend to estimate the amounts but it’s pretty much cool-proof. We try and extend it out a few nights so I increase the amounts. Eg. Nearly a whole celery, 6 carrots, 8 potatos… perfect every time.
This did not turn out like a stew. I had to add more liquids after the 4 hours. This will end up as a soup. And I followed the recipe to a T
This recipe is great! I do cook the onions in my cast iron pan with the garlic first to give them a bit of colour. I never add onions to the slow cooker without cooking them first, I find it gives them an odd flavour, but that’s a personal preference. Once I remove the onion and garlic, I then add the beef. I find this prevents the garlic from burning. Also, I have a tiny slow cooker (3.5Q?), and I just add less carrots, potatoes and celery by about half. I add about the same amount of beef, maybe a bit less. And I keep the sauce the same. Doing this fills my slow cooker almost completely but it turns out great.
The secret to this recipe is definitely browning the beef first and using the sauce to deglaze the pan. If you skip this step you’d have a pretty regular beef stew, but taking the extra time makes it really incredible!
This is a really good recipe, and even better with the modifications suggested by a few reviewers:
1) Cook on low for 8 hours – when I cooked on high for 4 hours, the meat wasn’t fork-tender, so I turned I added another 4 hours on low and was really happy with the meat.
2) Scale back on the potatoes a little unless you’re a potato lover.
3) Next time I will use a cup of dark beer or red wine in place of the beef broth. (I realized this may not make it ‘budget’ for some, but I’m cool with the $3 bottle of wine from Aldi!)
Really yummy, I added smoke paprika, celery salt and turmeric and used fresh rosemary-family loved it!
OMG…this beef stew is so delicious. The first time I made this I cooked on high for 4 hours. It was good but the beef was not as tender as I would like. Tonight I made this again cooked on low for 8 hours. The beef was so tender. My husband said this beef stew is the best he ever had. We serve this with toasted bread.
Thank you for the recipe.
Hi! I am planning on doing this recipe and was hoping to get it set up tonight and plugging it in tomorrow. When you cooked for 8 hours did you precook the beef with the flour like the recipe calls for? I’m trying to figure out if I can skip that part so it’s easier tomorrow morning! Thanks in advance for any guidance!
Best beef stew I have ever made. I make it in the instant pot so I’ve modified how I do it. I find the veggies cook so fast in there so I’m cutting them into much bigger pieces. The flavour is fantastic and I don’t think I will ever try another stew recipe again! Just got your app and am looking forward to having all these recipes on my phone!
I’ve done a few modifications on this recipe. Substituted half of the stock with red wine. The alcohol evaporates while deglazing, so no issues there. I aslo let my meat sit overnight is a mixture of plain greek yogurt, rosemary,thyme garlic and basil. Rinse completely before using. The cultures in the yogurt break dowm the toughness of the beef and it truely is melt in your mouth. I use fresh herbs, but give them a couple rolls with a rolling pin to bring out the natural oils. This truely is a fantastic family favorite!
This was simple and amazing. I agree with Anna, that the beef needed more time to get really tender. I used fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs because I had them, and needed to use them, and just pulled them out at the end. They impart their flavor without needly rosemary leaves left behind. Those are the only changes I made and this was anything but bland. Whoever said that maybe didn’t add salt to taste at the end. My biggest challenge was not eating three bowlfuls in one sitting.
Cooking as advised ‘ON HIGH’ is a gross misdirection: four hours at top temp. will produce a gastronomic Hiroshima. Yes, at the start of cooking the process gets a kick start by turning the temp. up but ONLY UNTIL THE LIQUID STARTS TO BUBBLE…….then, bring it right down to about 180*F. for the recommended four hours.
A moment’s reflection makes it clear that a ‘slow cook’ is impossible ‘on high’ – if that means top temp.
For most slow cookers, the “high” setting is equivalent to only about 250ºF. If this were cooked on the stove top or in the oven, you would be correct. This is cooked using a slow cooker, which do not get very hot, even on the high setting.
This recipe is SO GOOD. I followed the recipe almost exactly except I didn’t have thyme (not my favorite herb anyway). I went looking for a stew recipe because it was one of my favorite comfort foods as a kid and this recipe fits the bill perfectly. It does have a LOT of potatoes, which I have absolutely no problem with, but cutting the amount a bit would probably yield a more conventional ratio of ingredients. Will be making again for sure.
Can i get everything into slow cooker night before and then cook next day? So brown meat and make sauce night before.
Or will that ruin it?
Hmm, honestly I don’t know how that would turn out. I’ve never done it that way before.
I do this all the time. I prep everything and place it in the slow cooker insert and store in fridge overnight to cook on low for 8 hours the next day. Works perfectly every time!
This really didn’t have much flavor to it all. Pretty bland.
Any thoughts on how to improve flavor?
Add 1 cup of Guinness instead of the second cup of beef stock. Also fresh rosemary added near the end gives it quite a kick.
How would I make this if I do not have a slow cooker?
I’d need to do some testing to get the process just right for stove top, but it would involve slowly simmering the ingredients over low until the beef is tender.
I’ve had some luck making this in a dutch oven (cast iron) that I put in the oven at 300 for 4+ hours. Turns out great! You may need a little more liquid if your lid isn’t perfectly sealing.
Just made this tonight with venison and thr flavors paired beautifully! I didn’t have just thyme on hand so I used herbs de provence which has rosemary, fennel, thyme and lavender. It was incredible! Thank you for a great stew recipe!
Would I be able to make a double batch of this or would the cooking time/temp be off? I am thinking of making this for a christmas party because my husband and I love this! I have never made a double batch of it tho.
I’ve never tried a double batch either, but you’ll definitely need a very large slow cooker. Mine is about 6 qt and it was very full.
This is by far the best beef stew I’ve ever had!!! I made this a couple weeks ago, had some leftover so I saved it in the freezer until I warmed them up for a quick dinner after midnight to finish my long workday today …and the decadent smell was still there, my mouth was revitalized by the bursting flavor and it completely blew away my fatigue!! I’m definitely making these again. Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe!!!
If I were to use a pressure cooker (instant pot) for this recipe, how long would I need to cook it and do I still follow the recipe as it calls for?
I haven’t tested this recipe with the IP, but my first guess would be to just use the stew preset and see how it goes. :)
How did it go in the instant pot???
This is so good! I made this a year or so ago and was a bit underwhelmed, but I’ve learned from my mistakes. First off, I only used 3 red potatoes – the first time I made this as written, it seemed like way too many potatoes. Second, I used crushed dried rosemary, and used a little less than called for because the crushed/broken needles take up less space than the whole needles. The first time I made this with whole rosemary, the needles were really annoying and poked my mouth, but the crushed kind is less sharp and gets soft over time. Lastly, I get better results with beef (and pork) if I cook for 8 hrs on low instead of 4 hrs on high. Everything still cooks after 4 hrs on high, but I only get tender, fall-apart meat after 8 hrs on low. With those tweaks, it was awesome! I served it over egg noodles.
Instead of having it on high for 4 hours, how long would it take if I put it on low? Thanks! So excited to try it!
It should be about 8 hours on low. :)
I’ve heard that every 7 years tastebuds change. I eat tacos and Brussels sprouts now! I followed this yummy sounding recipe to a tee and I can honestly say that I am a fan of Beef Stew. Thank you for sharing!
Yup, this is delicious!!! Another winner.
This is the exact recipe as I’ve found on Epicurious… ?
I tried this once substituting one cup of beef broth with cooking sherry that I had on hand. OMG, so delicious! I am debating making this again as is. Does anyone know what the difference in flavor is?
Do you have any suggestions for flavor substitutions for the Dijon mustard? My partner is allergic but I don’t wanna take away from the flavor
Allergic to all mustard or just Dijon? I can’t really think of something else to use besides a different type of mustard. I’d probably just leave it out if he is allergic to all mustards. You might try adding a splash of vinegar to replace the acidity from the mustard.
Oh, man. I’ve been craving beef stew lately and this recipe sure looks amazing! Putting “stew beef” on my grocery list!
What do you suggest for the flour. I’m gluten free.
There are a lot of great options out there for gluten free flour, but my favorite for stuff like this is the multipurpose flour from the XO Baking Co. It is the closest I’ve had to texture and taste of regular flour.
Cook this stew today for the family and everyone agreed it was very yummy 😋 will definitely cook again!…thanks from cairns Queensland
Hands down the best beef stew recipe ever!! A little more effort, but the results are worth the extra time! I paired with some homemade buttermilk biscuits and honey. A huge hit for our family dinner!
Delicious! Perfect dinner for winter warms you up on the inside😊
Does anyone know if you can cook a pork roast in the slow cooker.
If posible would you have a recipe that may accomplish that.
I would be very interested to receive suggestions.
Here is my favorite pork slow cooker recipe: https://www.budgetbytes.com/2015/09/chili-rubbed-pulled-pork/
Thanks for this simple recipe! I have mine in the crock now, and will update when it’s done. I used russet potatoes because that’s all I had on hand, so I might have to add more cooking time. Smells great already.
Great recipe! Made it with bottom round for $2.97lb, way less expensive. LOVE IT!
My kids keep going back for seconds and then thirds! I had hoped for some left overs for lunch.. I was out of luck, THEY PRACTICALLY LICKED THE CROCK!
Absolutely delicious!!
I used 2 beef oxo cubes and 1 tbls of gourmet vegeta, i added an extra 1.5cups of water then in the last 45 min I added some corn flour to thicken up the extra liqiid.
YUM!!
After the initial 4 hours on high, setting the temperature to low and cooking for an ADDITIONAL 3 1/2 hours finally yielded the desired results.
Followed directions exactly, at 4 hours of cook time on high the meat is tough and rubbery and the carrots are not cooked. I’ve not really cooked much with a crock pot and I doubt I ever will again. What a waste of good beef.
How about on 8 hour low? Instead of 4 hours high? Slow cocker newbie here…
8 hours on low usually works well as an alternative to 4 hours on high for most recipes.
Bay leaves?
Beth,
I made this for our Sunday dinner today and it was amazing! I’ve been making beef stew for 35 years and my husband said this was the best I’ve ever made.
Wow! That’s a huge compliment! Tell him thank you for me, too. :)
I definitely will! It’s not just getting pinned but printed out too!
i only have honey muster can i use it?
That will definitely change the flavor.
I made this and it is AMAZING!!! Want to add mushrooms and maybe green beans but when? Do you just put it all in together at the beginning?
Best beef stew recipe ever!!! Everyone loves it!!! Thank you for this recipe, and the step-by-step visuals. That really helps a lot. :)
I Love this recipe!! my go to fav! Do you think I can double the recipe in a crock pot? we are having a. lot of guests….thanks!
EXCELLENT
This recipe is easy, convenient to prare the night before, no mess to fry up on the stove & easy clean-up.
I would ommitt the Rosemary spice for it was a bit over powering for my family.
I made this for my husband ( I only eat plants, myself). He LOVED it! It was easy to do and I followed this precisely. Smelled wonderful. A huge hit! Thank you so much.
I forgot to rate it!
OMG! This stew is so good!! Just a little prep for this awesome flavor. I the in some mushrooms for added meatiness! And, it’s so full of good stuff, you don’t need the noodles or rice, but if stretching the dollar is vital, you still can’t lose!!
I messed up!
I used pork meat and it’s cooking in the pot at the moment. I followed every other step but I have pregnancy brain I guess & used pork meat. Will it turn out the same? I hope so I’ve been craving stew, anyone know how the pork meat will turn out in 4hours
It won’t taste the same, but I bet it will still be good! Four hours on high should still be enough time for it to become tender, if not, one extra hour will do it for sure.
Hello,
I love your site. May I ask why it is no longer possible to print a recipe?
Hi Mary Anne, The print button is on the recipe card just below the tiny thumbnail photo. Just click the “print” button and it will open up a print-friendly version of just the recipe (no step by step photos, ads, or anything else) in a new tab. If nothing happens when you click the “print” button, make sure you don’t have a pop-up blocker turned on that might be interfering with the new tab opening.
This was absolutely delicious. The directions were great and the pictures didn’t hurt awesome. I used soy flour instead of regular flower. I also added cut up tomatoes, 1 can cannelloni beans (increased protein), a frozen package of edemame beans and a glass of red wine.
I have made this recipe twice in two weeks. My family just loves, loves, loves it. I’m not a newbie, but it took me an hour and a half the first time to prepare it. The second time I was well on to finishing in an hour…and wham! grisly stew meat. Had to trim for an hour. :( All that said, this is a magnificent stew. Braising the meat is key, but the sauce/gravy is EVERYTHING. The longer it cooks, the better it gets. My compliments and gratitude to Beth!
Made this and everyone really like it.
It is simple and flavourfull.
Will be making this throughout the winter.
I didn’t tweek the recipe as I don’t think it fair to judge when you didn’t follow directions and generally I don’t comment, but felt this was worth the effort!
This recipe is fabulous!! Made this and went by the recipe as written. Only added a few bayleaves while cooking. It is a keeper! I give it an A+!
Don’t know where the half hour prep time came from, took me considerably longer. Maybe because I’m a seventy five year old man lol. Slow but thorough. Cooking now and already smells good. I did add some cabbage for a little more flavor and sweetness.
Made the stew last week & it was very good. Not sure if the brown sugar was needed. But I did follow directions. Amazing how much liquid developes. Will def make again.
This is my absolute favorite recipe! My husband asks for it over and over again- well worth the extra effort of browning the meat first!
Hi – I was wondering if red wine could be added. If so, how much or would it thin the sauce.
My new go to beef stew recipe. Delicious and very tender beef.
Best beef stew I ever had!!! Delicious!! The prep felt a little long but was well worth it! My husband and I loved it and ate it for leftovers for a couple days too. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Wow! It is really good, I made it tonight at home. I wish I could attach a pic of it.
The recipe is so easy to follow, which is great for me since I am not an experienced cook :).
I ran into a minor problem since I don’t own a skillet big enough to brown beef, but at the end all turn out delicious.
Thank you for the recipe
Carlos
You can always brown in two batches! :)
Hi Beth! I want to make this for a housewarming party for a small group of friends. Do you think I’ll be safe browning the meat and prepping everything in the crockpot the night before, then cooking on low for 8 hours? I could also cook on high for 4 and leave it to warm the rest of the day, but I wanted to see what you think. Thanks and sorry in advance if you’ve already answered this question!
I think that would probably work, but I would try to do it on high for at least the first hour to make sure it gets up to temperature from being chilled within a safe amount of time. If you won’t be around to adjust the heat, I’d just go for the four hours on high then on warm after that.
I made this dish today and it was absolutely delicious. My husband loved it, and he kept repeating that we need to “add it to the rotation.” I didn’t have any beef stock in the house, so I drained a can of Progresso French onion soup. It gave me precisely two cups of broth-equivalent. I used half of the dried rosemary suggested, and threw in three sprigs of rosemary. It’s a very aromatic dish. My husband and I had seconds, and we’ll get a second meal from our leftovers. I couldn’t be happier with the result. I plan to look further into the recipes on this site.
I love your recipes. Would this work in a 3.5 qt. slow cooker, as it sounds so delish?
Thank you.
I’m making this in a smaller slow cooker. I used a very small onion, 1 celery, 1 carrot, 1 medium sized potato and halved the ingredients for the sauce (1 cup beef stock, 1 tbsp Dijon, 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 tsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp rosemary, 1/4 tsp thyme. I’ll see how it turns out. There is lots of room in my slow cooker still so it might have been ok with the original dimensions.
It turned out great! So delicious. I would actually stick with the original recipe as written as my batch was rather small. I think it would have fit fine into a smaller slow cooker. I’m going to make it again using the original recipe dimensions.
I believe my slow cooker is a 5 quart. I can’t say for sure whether this one will fit in a 3.5 quart.
I apologize if you’ve answered this, as I didn’t read through the 300+ comments– do you have an adaptation for the instant pot for this recipe?
I actually haven’t tried it in the IP yet. :) But I bet you could do the skillet steps using the sauté function, and then maybe just use the stew button for the rest?
I make this in my instant pot all the time. I brown the meat in two batches on the sauté function and then add the rest of the ingredients. I cook it on high pressure for 35 minutes and let it come down naturally (takes forever). It’s always fantastic!
Wow, this stew is amazing!!! I usually stick to baking but since both my parents are busy today, I decided to surprise them with an extravagant meal, I came across this recipe and decided to choose it over a few others. I cooked it exactly like the recipe, except I dumped a load of garlic in my pan. It’s cooking now and I am so excited to taste it! Thanks.
This recipe is AMAZING!!! My family loves it and I love that it is so inexpensive to make and well as quick and easy! I have made it twice already and plan on making a regular on my winter menu.
Sounds so good. Thanks for sharing. simon.
This recipe is amazing! It smells so good and it tastes amazing too. I did double the garlic, but I do that with everything. :)
I don’t have a slow cooker and have never used one, so I tried to make this using just a normal stove and pan (even a nonstick pan, against recommendations). I didn’t know if it would work smoothly, but it turned out absurdly good.
I needed to approximately double the broth to get everything covered (I”m assuming it doesn’t matter if things are covered in a slow cooker?) and then I heated it over medium high until boiling. Then I reduced to medium low and covered for, oh, about an hour maybe. I browned the meat in the soup pot and filled it up with liquid and vegetables after browning, so everything in one place. Not sure how, but it still thickened perfectly – I was planning to add cornstarch or smash some potatoes if it didn’t – – and the meat turned out so tender with none of the veggies overdone.
Amazingly good.
Awesome!! I’m so glad it turned out so good for you. In a slow cooker you can use a little less liquid because all of the moisture that comes out of the meat and vegetables stays in the pot, unlike cooking on a stove top (even with a lid), so the volume of liquid increases as it cooks.
I made this for some really picky stew eaters who loved everything about this recipe. I used fresh rosemary and added sweet potatoes and white potatoes. I used sirloin beefalo as well because that was all I had. The flavor of the gravy is what makes this dish. The vegetables are firm and the meat tender. This is a keeper.
This was so amazing. My home smelled so good!! I made this for my family and they loved it the flavor a are delicious. I made mash potatoes and hoped it off with the stew. Delicious :) but when cooking I put the meat in the bottom of the crockpot and then put the veggies on top and it came out perfect. Thanks
Wow is right! Made this last night exactly to the recipe except put two fresh sprigs of rosemary on top(I like rosemary!) This thing came out great..i never stirred it bcause it was a hectic day…some stuff stuck but it was a very tasty crispy goodie for me! the rest was very majorly amazingly good!! I browned the beef very well…that is the key just in case someone else has a problem…I used sirloin tip roast meat…no real fat there! browned in a bit more olive oil than u state but that is to really get the meat sealed/crisped up. THANKYOU!!!! I will never make a dull boring beef stew again!!! (and i kinda thought MY beef stew was good…but it cannot compare!!)
So yum! My only complaint was that it didn’t make enough to last as many meals as I had hoped it would for my family (probably because it was so yum. Next time will double the recipe :)
This is THE most awesome stew recipe I’ve ever tried. The only ingredient I didn’t have on hand was the Dijon mustard…but I did have horseradish mustard and used that instead. Not sure if it made that big of a difference. I thought the flavor was delicious. It did come out thick..which is another reason I loved it..I’m not into soupy stew. Thank-you for sharing this recipe!
I’ve cooked potatoes with crockpot recipes before & they ovef cooked & were terrible…how do the red potatoes not over cook? Do you hold off adding them till half way through? Thanks!
I added them in the beginning with everything else and didn’t find them to be over cooked. :) Perhaps it’s because there are so many other ingredients in there with them.
I’m going to cook this today! I’ll post how it comes out. I wish that there was a printable version without all of the ads. Waste of paper!
There is a printable version. :) On the main recipe card, there is a “print” button just under the thumbnail image on the top right (near the star ratings). Click that and the recipe opens in a separate tab all by itself.
This was delicious!!! We loved it!f
Your recipe looks sooo delicious! One question I have like 8 people coming for dinner and was wondering can I double everything by 4 and it will still come out the same! One time I made beef stew and doubled everything and it ended up very dry with barley any gravy! What should I do so his doesn’t happen again?
My 6 quart slow cooker was pretty full with the ingredient amounts listed, so I’m not sure you’ll be able to quadruple the recipe. You could always add more broth if the stew becomes too thick.
I used two Russet potatoes instead of red, and 1/2 lb baby carrots. Worked great!
Is there any way to make this recipe with frozen stew meat?
Unfortunately I’ve never used frozen stew meat, so I’m not sure what modifications you’d need to make. I don’t ever suggest putting frozen meat into a slow cooker, though.
I made it for tonight’s dinner… made a substitution.. instead of potatoes we used rice. No leftovers.. even my 4 yr old loved it
Fantastic! Super easy to make and absolutely delicious, just follow the recipe.
Followed the recipe as per described. Vegetables were all firm and beef did not break up. Had to cook on low for additional two hours to break the beef. Even before this the taste of rosemary was not there. I think I’m going to have to alter this in the future.
Can I make this the day before and refrigerate? Will it come out the same when I heat it up the next day?
It definitely gets thicker after refrigerating and reheating, but I enjoyed the leftovers quite a bit. :)
Excellent!! Definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing this recipe :)
This is a very good stew!! The ratio of potatoes to everything else seemed a bit off, I don’t think it really needed that many potatoes, but otherwise, this was 100% on point! Delish!!
How big is the crockpot you used?
I believe it’s a 6 quart.
Just made this. It truly was the best beef stew I have ever made, the aroma’s were lingering through the home. Mmmm thank you
I just made this for dinner tonight. It was absolutely scrumptious. I followed your recipe exactly. It was delicious.
Not sure what I did wrong, but I slow cooked this per the directions in an Instant Pot and it never really thickened up like the pictures the flavor came out relatively bland. Also, the meat would not break up. It may have been because I used stew meat that was very lean, and grass-fed pasture raised (Whole Foods had a great price for it). This can lead to the meat not breaking up as easy and less wonderful flavor from the fat coming out of it during the cooking process.
Given the other great reviews I’m going to try again with regular stew meat and may even try the “Meat/Stew” pressure cooker setting and report back. The pictures do look amazing and I love stew so I’ll get this dialed in eventually!
Tried this recipe, made a minor adjustment, add some red wine, used vegetable stock instead of beef stock (just didn’t have it on hand) and honey dijon mustard, it was fantastic! Couldn’t stop eating and looking to repeat this again. Thanks!
I’m two hours in and I don’t see any liquid at all. Should I throw in more broth or have faith that more liquid is going to be released?
For folks that are gluten free and paleo (like myself) I would replace the flour with arrowroot Starch to thicken. Thanks for this recipe, it sounds yummy and I can’t wait to try it with the slight modification. ☺
Hi!
I prefer more broth on my stew, so if I double the broth, should i also double the rosmary-Dijon sauce ingredients? Also, would pork stew meat work just as well? The pork stew meat seems to be almost half the cost of the beef.
Hmm, yes, I would probably try doubling the rosemary-dijon sauce as well. Pork meat might be alright, but the deep savory flavor of red meat really adds a lot to this dish.
how does this stew freeze? and by the way, i have seen several stew concoctions and this one sounds like you know whats goin on. keep you posted.
Some people don’t like the texture of potatoes after they’ve been frozen, but it doesn’t bother me at all. The stew will get quite a bit more thick, as well.
WTF? Where do you buy 2 lbs of potatoes for $1.00? Nice try.
My grocery store has a 5 lb bag for $3.99 pretty regularly, so if anything she’s rounding up
That’s supposed to say $2.99, not $3.99.
My store has a 5lb bag fro 1.79 and i live in pricy nyc
Umm… Right now I can get 10lbs of red potatoes for $5 at my local Kroger. That’s not off base at all.
This was delicious. I added some parsnips since I had some to use up. I will make this again for sure!
Sounds delicious! If I will be cooking it in a dutch oven, do you know what temperature and how long it should be in the oven? Also, I do not have any mustard– do you think I can just leave it out, or should I replace it with something else?
The only change I made to the recipe was setting my slow cooker on “Low” for 4 hours instead of “High”. I think 4 hours will burn the meat on the “High” setting.
The stew tasted great!!!
Made this and LOVED it! Half the recipe was perfect for my small size crockpot. Thank you!
Looking forward to trying this soon! Is the Dijon mustard the powdered kind or the kind in a jar?
Jar :)
Just made this. This beef stew is amazing. My roommate and I just gobbled it up. I barely got a bowl for tomorrows lunch! Would and will suggest this to anyone looking for an amazing stew.
The best beef stew I’ve ever made, and I’ve tried many recipes, many of which were very good, but this one is the BEST!
How could I make this without the white flour?
You can try browning the beef without it. The potatoes will offer some thickening power as well. You can mash them up a bit after cooking to help it be more stew like rather than soupy.
Can you cook this on low?
Yes, you can do low for eight hours. :)
I am making this right now, and haven’t been able to stop myself from tasting it as it cooks. It smells and tastes phenomenal.
Will this recipe fit a 3.5 qt crock pot? Thank you.
Probably not. I would suggest a 5 quart as the smallest.
It is cooking right now in a 4 quart crock pot, seems to be the perfect size! You’d definitely have to reduce the slightly for a 3.5 quart. P.S. the house smells amazing!
I’m on a mission to convert your slow cooker recipes to InstantPot recipes! I made this yesterday by browning the meat at the bottom of the electric slow cooker (in two batches). Then removed the meat and added the onion and garlic – cooked a couple minutes and added all the other sauce ingredients per the recipe. Added back in the meat and cooked in InstantPot on high pressure for 12 minutes. Depressurized manually and added in the carrots and potatoes and some rough cut mushrooms. Stirred it all up the best I could in the pot and cooked on high pressure again for another 5 minutes. Let it depressurize for 10 minutes, then opened the pot. It turned out exactly like it has in the slow cooker! The sauce was nice and thick and just as flavorful. I added some more seasonings at the end. I did notice a few of the largest pieces of stew meat could have used maybe another 1 – 2 min, so next time I might cook the meat on high for 15 min, then add the veggies for 5. Beef stew in under an hour – YUM!
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing that! I was literally just thinking about doing this recipe in the Instant Pot this morning. :)
Everyone loved this. I thought I had made enough to put an extra dinner away in the freezer. But folks had 2nds and 3rds of this stew. One of the best I’ve made for sure. I served it over wide egg noodles. Delish!
This is so wonderful! We love it…make it monthly! It’s fabulous reheated, too…my boyfriend is a trucker, and reheats it in a tinfoil pan in his 12-volt lunchbox oven as he drives! No fast food for him! Thanks again for the great recipe!
Do you use fresh Thyme or ground Thyme?
Thanks
Dried whole thyme leaves.
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit! Thank you!
If I make this for a large group and need to double the recipe, how long would I cook this for? Any idea?
Hmm, I’m not sure because I’ve never cooked with a slow cooker that size (it would have to be quite large!).
I have made this amazing stew many times before (it’s one of our faves) but with baby #2 on the way, I was wondering if I could make it ahead of time and freeze? I’m trying to get a freezer full of crockpot recipes to make life a little less chaotic when she arrives :). Ps, as a stay at home mom and a one income family, finding your website has been a so helpful! Thank you!
I have frozen it after cooking and it tastes pretty good after reheating, although it does get quite thick! :)
Good to know! Thank you!!
Best beef stew hands down! I actually didn’t have beef broth on hand so I used a can of beef Barley soup and one vegetable boullion cube instead, and this still came out amazing!!
That’s the best beef stew recipe I ever tried! Thank you!
Can you do all the steps the night before and put crock in fridge , and just cook the next morning?
That would probably work, but the cook time might increase slightly since the crock pot will be cold when you begin. I would start with at least one hour on high just to make sure everything gets up to a safe temperature within a short amount of time.
I made this stew last night, refrigerated and cooked today. You are right…..we didn’t take into account that the stew would be cold and it required more time to cook. Now I know. I will make again. thnx.
I made it this way and it turned out just fine!
It’s spelled WHOA. Like WHOA, horsie! :)
Hahaha, thank you! I think that might have been the first time I ever typed that word and spellcheck didn’t flag it. ;P
How much salt and pepper to you use or recommend for the stew meat? Thanks!
Just sprinkle a pinch or two on both sides of the meat.
Hi! How long would I cook this on low? 8 hours?
Yes. :)
This was truly everything you said it would be! My family loved it! Thanks so much for the pictures! My daughter was home from college over Christmas break and we made this together!
hi . I have tried this recipe and it is a very tasty stew indeed. recommended. Try it and enjoy it;
This is my new rainy day go to crock pot meal. I wasn’t even going to try it because of potatoes because I’m diabetic. I just switched taters out for rutabagas dropped the brown sugar in half and threw in a couple of bay leafs [they’re a staple in my soups]. One of the best stews ever for me. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Sid
I just made this and it was AMAZING! I followed the recipe exactly as written and I wouldn’t change a thing. My boyfriend suggested adding some red wine so I may try that next time. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Oh my word this was awesome, served along side some crusty bread- made a great fall dinner! Love so many recipes on this site and this is close to the top!
What about using plain old white potatoes? I guess they don’t seem as special?
What about using chicken broth?
Also, what is a ‘sleeve’ of celery?
You can use regular white potatoes, but they may break down just a bit more than the red potatoes. Chicken broth wouldn’t quite taste right in this one. It wouldn’t be bad, but it wouldn’t be nearly as good as the beef broth. A sleeve of celery is just a “bunch” of celery.
I made it with white potatoes and chicken broth, and it came out great! I think I would like it better with less Rosemary though. Maybe the extra Rosemary works better with beef broth.
Would love to try your delicious recipe, however due to a fish allergy, Worcestershire sauce Can’t be used. Can you recoment a substitute?
Worcestershire sauce is pretty unique in flavor, so I’m not sure there’s really anything similar (at least that I know of). I would probably just increase the soy sauce to 1.5 Tbsp.
It is possible to find vegan Worcestershire sauce. I know that Annie’s Homegrown is one brand but I’m sure if you do a search online you could find others that don’t have fish in them. 😊
Hello , can I do this on the stovetop
You can let it simmer on low, but it will cook faster and the vegetables may break down a bit more (even the low setting on a stove top tends to be hotter than a slow cooker). It can also be cooked in a dutch oven inside your oven.
I cannot use wheat flour. Is there something else that I could use to brown the meat and still keep this gluten free?
You can sear the meat on its own and that will still add quite a bit more flavor. Adding a little cornstarch and water slurry will help thicken in place of the flour.
Hey there! I really love your recipes. We made the cold cucumber soba salad at least once a week this last summer! So what if we just can’t make it home from work in time to get this cook for the four hours? Would you recommend cooking for 6 or 8 hours on lower heat?
Low heat for 8 hours should work. :)
Since it’s Halloween season I used Pumpkin Ale beer and beef bullion instead of beef broth. It came out so delicious.
Ooooh, nice!
I love love this recipe. What if I replaced all the beef products w chicken and used chicken thighs? Would it still need 4 hours on low?
I usually do 4 hours on high for any meat dish in the slow cooker, just to be sure. :)
Can you use sweet potatoes instead of red potatoes? I thought you would have to put them in later thinking they would come out mushy.
The potatoes do cook until they’re very soft, but it’s kind of nice because it helps thicken up the stew a little. I’m not quite sure how the sweet potatoes would taste with the rest of the ingredients, but it sounds like something I’d experiment with. :)
I added the kumara later ant they were great.
I normally use sweet potatoes in beef stew and they taste delicious. I don’t omit regular potatoes, just add less. They don’t take near as long to cook, so I wouldn’t add them in right away. Maybe in the last hour or so? And don’t cut them too small or they will end up as much. Even as large pieces they cook thoroughly and make it easier to eat them without them falling apart. If worst comes to worst, you could always keep it on low or warm for a short time after it should be done just to be sure.
Love this website!
My kitchen is smelling yummy from this stew cooking right now. Can’t wait until dinner.
To save money, I purchased a rump roast that was on sale for 2.98 a lb. and the butcher cut it into stew meat. That saved $2.00 per pound😊
Made this last night and it was great, just needed some pepper for my taste.
I’m thinking about doing this with some fresh venison I harvested this week. Have you had any experience cooking with venison in other recipes?
I don’t, unfortunately! :(
Made this over the weekend. It was so delicious and family loves it! The best beef stew I’ve ever made. And it’s easy! I had it for lunch for the next day, it tastes even better… Not sure why but Thank you for sharing this!
I am so glad to have found your website. I’ve made this stew once before and the family loved it! I’m making it again this week :)
I can’t tell for sure…did you end up peeling the skin off your carrots before chopping or no?
We are making it this coming weekend…can’t wait!
I did, but you don’t have to as long as you give them a good scrubbing. :)
Hi Beth! Love your blog and so does everyone else I’ve turned on to it!
I’m planning on trying this tonight but unfortunately don’t have a slow cooker yet…would you do the same amount of liquid in a stovetop version?
Also, I’d like to use the fresh rosemary from our garden rather than purchasing dried…would I need to adjust the amount?
Thanks!
I’d probably use the same amount of liquid on the stove top, but keep an eye on it and add a little extra if it starts to look dry. For fresh rosemary I’d reduce the amount by about half, it tends to be much stronger when fresh.
So I tried this on the stovetop and after an hour the meat is kinda dry and tough…do you think simmering it longer will make it more tender, or tougher…?
It should make it more tender. It takes a long time for that connective tissue to break down and become tender. Keep the heat on the low side, too. Just a gentle simmer.
Just got a slow cooker and am excited to try this out, however I don’t have time to brown the meat beforehand. How would I adjust the recipe?
The browning step is REALLY important to the flavor, unfortunately. It creates the pan gravy and a deep, meaty flavor that you just won’t get by adding all the ingredients to slow cooker. :( You can try mixing the flour with beef broth and the other ingredients that were in the pan sauce then just pouring it into the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. I’m not sure if it will thicken correctly without making a proper roux in the skillet, but you can try!
You dont say how you make your beef broth? Sorry if that sounds silly but I am a beginner to this. Is it just gravy?
Hi, sorry for the confusion! I actually use Better Than Bouillon soup base to make the broth. You can use any store bought brand of broth that you prefer. :)
A really delicious, solid beef stew, with a nicely complex sauce; really well done. I could really smell the rosemary and garlic in particular. I ate this with some dinner rolls for a week and was very full and happy, and the smell while it was cooking was very good. You can’t go wrong with this one.
This is one of my favorite stew recipes. I’ve never been able to sucessfully make stew until I found this recipe. I’ve made it twice before and it’s currently filling my house with the wonderful scent of rosemary and garlic as I type this. I do usually add an extra cup of beef broth, because I like my stew a little looser than it comes out. However, it’s a fantastic recipe and I recommend it heartily.
This recipe is AMAZING. I will be making it tomorrow for the fourth time because my husband absolutely loves it. I usually add more stew meat and we are big on sweet potatoes in our house so I do half regular and half sweet. I add the sweet potatoes later in the cooking process because they tend to break down easily and turn into mush if cooked too long. Thank you for this wonderful recipe, and it has been added to my book of “cook this at least 4 times in the fall/winter” meals.
recept stoofpot
Can you use cornstarch instead of flour to coat the meat for a gluten-free option?
I don’t think that will work quite the same because the browning action of the flour creates a really unique flavor and I don’t think cornstarch browns the same way.
I used gluten-free flour and didn’t change anything else in the recipe and it still came out great!
First let me say that this is my absolute favorite stew. As a girl with a lot of allergies (including gluten, potatoes, and tomatoes) it’s very easily adaptable without losing any of the amazing flavor. For recipes that call for flour as a thickener, I replace it with brown rice flour and follow the amount and instructions as originally written. Also most soy sauces contain wheat so I use tamari which has the exact same flavor.
I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this
website. I’m hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well.
In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal website
now ;)
I love love love all the step by step pictures. Can’t wait to try to the recipe. Thank you.
Would you be able to cook it on low for 8 hours? Or is that too long?
Usually you can cook on low for 8 hours if a recipe says high for 4 hours. I haven’t actually tried it with this one, but I think it should work.
I just had to let you know that this beef stew was awesome. I will be making it with chicken next with either noodles or dumplings. I had never made a stew before. You made it awesomely easy. Thank you
I cook it all the time on Low for 8. Turns out perfectly.
What size slowcooker do you have? (5 Qt, 6 or 7 etc.)
I don’t know for sure, but I believe it is around 6 quarts.
I made this recipe last night and it was so good!!! I made a double batch in a 6 quart crock-pot and it all fit. There wasn’t enough broth so I took 4 cups of beef broth and brought it to a boil. Then I added some watered cornstarch and thickened it up and added it to the stew. There were 8 adults and a little one and it disappeared. We had frybread to go with. Thank you for this recipe!!
Hey Beth,
I’ve finally cracked and got myself a slow cooker because this recipe looked sooooo amazing. I’m planning on leaving this on low while I’m out at work but I’m wondering if it would be bad to do all the prep the night before and just turn it on to cook before I head out in the morning? Or should I do all the prep in the morning before I head to work?
Thanks, Molly
Well, you’d have to refrigerate it over night if you did the prep the night before and I have to say I’m honestly not sure how that would affect it. It would surely lengthen the cooking time because everything would be chilled to start, but I’m not sure about any other unexpected effects.
If I browned the meat and prepared the sauce and veggies, do you think this could work as a freezer meal to put on the crockpot at a later date?
It sounds like it might work, but I have to admit I’ve never tried that technique, so I can’t say for sure.
Hi,
This looks amazing, but can it be made in a large saucepan on the hob with a lid on? I don’t have a slow cooker :(
Yep, you can let it simmer over low (bring it to a boil first, then reduce to low) and it will actually cook faster. Probably an hour or so?
This looks amazing! Could I double the sauce/gravy without doubling the rest of the recipe and still end up with the same flavor with more liquid?
Also, if I add frozen green beans should I add them in the beginning or the end?
Sorry if I’m asking really obvious questions, I’m VERY new to cooking! :)
I haven’t tried doubling the sauce, but I suspect that would make the stew as a whole a little more tangy/potent. The vegetables absorb and mellow the flavors quite a bit, so if you double the sauce without doubling the rest it might just be a bit stronger. I think I would add the green beans in the beginning. And no worries, those were all GREAT questions! :)
What a Winner!
Fantastic flavor, fairly simple prep, and I scored a deal on the stew meat to boot. I added 1 oz of red wine vinegar and a can of diced tomatoes but otherwise stayed pretty true to the recipe. I already had fresh rosemary and thyme so I doubled the amount of each and they both added a subtle herbaceous note.
Hi! I was just wondering what size crockpot I would need to make this stew.
It looks amazing!
Probably a 6 qt or larger. It makes a lot! :)
Best stew recipe I have ever tried! So much flavor!!
I just wanted to say THANK YOU! This recipe tasted amazing and I don’t say that about a lot of recipes I tend to find online. You saved my boring lunch/dinner syndrome lol.
Just made this and it was amazing. Licked the bowl clean. =P
I did have to make a few changes since I’m living abroad without my usual kitchen tools and food selections. This soup does just fine in a big, stovetop pot on the lowest flame manageable. The cooking time was less, of course (about 2 hrs), but the meat was still very tender and juicy. Thanks for the great recipe!!
My husband is not a huge fan of rosemary, can I leave it out or reduce it and still have a great beef stew? I love rosemary, but marriage is about compromise… right lol?
I think the stew would still have quite a bit of flavor without it. Compromise is good. :)
You could consider sage instead of rosemary. Same family of flavors, but none of that pine taste that some people hate. I find that rosemary, thyme and sage are equally great in a stew like this.
This seriously looks amazing and I would love to try it..
But I’m an impatient and extremely grumpy person when I’m hungry, so I prefer something that cooks a bit quicker than four hours.
Do you know if a high pressure cooker will work with this recipe?
Unfortunately, I’ve never cooked with a pressure cooker, so I’m not sure. From what I’ve heard it seems like it would, but I can’t really give guidance. :(
I have been salivating over this recipe since I first laid eyes on it a few months ago. Finally broke down and prepared it last night before bed, so that I could pack it in my husband’s lunch. Making this has brought me to the following conclusions:
1) My Mother really was a horrible cook, and stew was truly the worst of her concoctions.
2) Never, and I mean NEVER put this in the Slow Cooker before bed and expect to get a decent night’s rest with the AMAZING smell filling up your home while you sleep. You will want to wake up and eat at 3am!
3) I have never purchased dried rosemary, as I’ve always felt like it has the feeling of pine needles in my mouth when added to food. I added fresh, and what do you know? It was fan-friggen-tastic and I find it easy to eat.
Beth, you rock! I had a hot bowl of this delicious stew at 548am. Just a small bowl, but a bowl none the less. and guess what? I’m going back for seconds!
I know what you mean about dried rosemary…to avoid it feeling like pine needles, I crush it up with a mortar and pestle. It helps tremendously :)
I do that too, mortar and pestle. I usually give it a few good whirls no matter what dried spice is required; it smashes up the leaves a bit, really bringing the fragrance out.
this was AMAZING thank you
Um.. Really, really delicious. It filled my crock pot to the top, so I don’t know if that has something to do with the longer cooking time it seems to need. Either way, I just tried a small bowl and the flavour is incredible. I never comment on sites, but this recipie deserves some more recognition. I will definitely make it again.
I had it set for four hours on high but my veggies are still pretty hard. I don’t have to serve it until much later so that is not a complaint. Serving it with some tea biscuits. :)
Nice recipe- I really liked the flavours. I was tempted to cut back on the Dijon, but I am happy I didn’t. I love Rosemary, easily one of my favs. We are looking forward to leftovers today, stews are even better the day after, of course!
My only fault with the recipe was that I found there wasn’t nearly enough broth to make a stew. Although the veggies did release quite a bit of water, I still added 2 cups of broth at the end. Perhaps my veggies in winter cold storage were less juicy.
I also added turnip and parsnip to the stew, because I had some in the fridge, but next time I will leave them out or add them and omit the sugar. My bad, and the result was just a little too sweet. I just wasn’t thinking.
Thanks, great site. This was my first time on it, won’t be my last.
I have made this 4 times now and since I RARELY make the same recipe more then once because I love cooking and trying new recipes, but this particular recipe has gotten so many rave reviews from family and friends I can’t help making it over and over. I am finding that your recipes do this crazy thing to me that I am not use to which is making the same recipe more then once. Yum!
I made the stew for a lady and I got laid. Need I say more? Fine, I’ll clarify: this stew is easy, fantastic, and apparently an aphrodisiac. You have given a man the gift of stew for life.
Beth, your cooking advice has helped me win more friends and lovers than any lousy self-improvement book. I don’t know if you fully understand how much you’ve changed some of your readers’ lives.
5/5, would stew again.
Hahahahha best review ever. And it’s true, nothing is sexier than a man who can cook! Hopefully the trend catches on. :P
I have a 6 qt. roaster with a slow cook setting @ 200 degrees….Is that hot enough? I put everything together per your instruction but I’m afraid it won’t be ready for dinner:( Help!
I believe 200 degrees is what the “low” setting for most slow cookers is, so you’ll need to cook it for 8-10 hours at that temp.
Can I just brown the the meat without the flour and use cornstarch at the end of the cooking.I’m trying to avoid gluten.I can follow the rest of the steps.
That might be the best bet. It still won’t be exactly the same, but it’s the closest that I think you’ll get. :)
Thanks for this great recipe. I was idly looking through slow cooker stew recipes on a flight, looking for something a little different than my usual recipe. Saw this, gave it a try and it is GREAT! I had always tossed my beef in a bag with the flour, but browning and then deglazing is brilliant! I had never thought of it, so I am glad you did! Cooked high for four hours as instructed and then turned to low until dinnertime, about three hours. When my husband and his brother arrived for dinner, the house was filled with the succulent aroma. Just to meet our personal taste, I doubled the garlic, added a can of diced tomatoes, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a few tbs of bold red wine to the reduction and threw in a bay leaf on top when starting the cooking. Other than that, followed instructions to the letter and got a fantastic result. Thanks!
Will this freeze well? If so, how would you freeze it in portions?
Tawni was just posting a comment and saw your question. I haven’t frozen THIS stew in portions but I have frozen other stew in portions. When I make stew in order to freeze or can it, I leave out the potatoes. Potatoes do not respond well to freezing and reheating. They will turn to mush. I make it just as I normally would without the potatoes. If I’m not canning it, I place it in the containers for the serving sizes I want. After it is frozen, I run the container under hot water, pop the stew out and vacuum seal it. This will help it freeze better and will also save freezer space. If you make sure and double seal each end of the bag, you can reheat by dropping the entire frozen bag in boiling water to reheat. You can also reheat in the slow cooker. Make sure and add about 1/2 cup extra liquid if you do. You can add canned cooked potatoes when reheating either on the stove or in the slow cooker. This has always worked well for me. Truthfully, since I discovered pressure canning, that is my preference. It’s so simple I can easily can just one or two jars of leftover stew while I’m cleaning up after dinner AND it will keep on the shelf for a year. Hope this helps!
I added fresh mushrooms and red, orange and yellow bell peppers. Also a can of corn. Turned out absolutely amazing :)! Thank you for the recipe
3 hrs on high and no where’s near being done! Should have put it on low for 10 hrs. Grrrr
A lot of cooking happens in that last hour. Also, try not to open it up while it’s cooking because that can slow the cooking down considerably.
Can I put this on low instead of high? 10 hrs?
I would guess that should be okay, although I haven’t tested it.
I’ve now made this twice. My husband loves it, he who hates cooked vegetables. :) I ended up adding more Worcestershire and a plug of red wine, but that’s just to our taste – this is a great recipe and is definitely drool worthy without the red wine!
Megan
The red wine is a good idea. In Britain we used to have a celebrity chef called Keith Floyd who was famous for always having a glass of red wine in hand whilst cooking. He would often put a whole bottle in a pot of stew and his recipes always worked very well!
Although my stew is still currently cooking the aroma is amazing! After making your Dragon Noodles recipe, which was one of the cheapest and most delicious meals I have ever made, I look forward to the stew and many more of your recipes. Thanks!
I would love for you to check out my new blog Beth! I’m a huge fan :D
thehungryactress.com
Great job! I can’t wait to see what else you create! :)
LOVED! I let mine cook for 4 hours in the evening on high then all night on low. My apartment smelled amazing. I will definitely be sharing this recipe and making again.
Any suggestions on a substitute for soy sauce? I’m out, and supposedly there is snow and ice on the way….and I’m not driving in that….
Hmm, I think I’m stumped on that one! The only things I can think of are probably things you don’t just keep stocked in your house, like Bragg’s amino acids. :(
I’d love to make this recipe and while I am very enthusiastic about garlic, my father-in-law very much isn’t. I’m wondering how one might rate the garlic flavor overall. I guess I could scale the garlic back a bit if it really is pretty garlicy. Thoughts?
I’d scale it back by half if he’s not a garlic lover.
You could also use roasted garlic which gives a much milder flavor. I do this often in recipes because the sharpness of raw garlic is too much for me.
I’m looking for a recipe I can make ahead of time, freeze, and then pop in the slow cooker before I leave for work in the morning and have it cook on low for about 8-9 hrs. Is there a way I can modify this recipe so I can do that?
Also, if I would be cooking it all day, would I have to brown the meat beforehand? If so, could I do that and then freeze everything?
Thanks for the info! I’m a newbie, but this looks delicious!
This one would be difficult to assemble/freeze/cook later because you definitely need to brown the meat first. Browning the meat changes the flavor and makes it much more deep and complex. So, you’d have to do that step, cool it down, then freeze it… which just seems too complex for its own good. :P
Delicious! I sometimes bash people for add-ins on recipes, but because I added more veggies I did add a can of whole tomatoes into the mix. The taste of the worcestshire, soy, brown sugar still came through. My favorite beef stew now!
Beth, this looks amazing! I have a 4 quart slow cooker, how would you recommend I change the recipe to fit? Thanks!
I think if you cut back on the veggies just a bit you can probably fit it in your slow cooker. There really isn’t much added liquid to cut back on, most of it comes out of the meat and veggies. The vegetables really take up the most space.
Tastiest stew I’ve ever made! Hubby said it was”absolutely wonderful” so no higher praise…
I too would have liked more gravy in the leftovers, but I just heated them up in a saucepan and added a bit of beef broth. I also appreciated the level of detail in your instructions — much clearer than most online (or even book) recipes.
Ah I’m just about to turn the slow cooker on for this to cook but i had no rosemary so have gone with oregano instead. Can’t wait to try it!
How did it come out with the oregano? I’m not a big fan of rosemary so I’m not sure if I could leave it out or use oregano.
sorry for silly question, but the ingredient list says ” ½ sleeve celery $0.65 “. do you mean 1/2 of a stalk or 1/2 of a bunch of celery? the celery at my local grocery store sells the celery packaged in a clear plastic “sleeve” and is usually priced around $1. i’ll admit that 1/2 of a bunch sounds like too much, but you never know….
Yes, I meant a half bunch. Sorry about the confusion! :) I used about 4 stalks or so. They cook down quite a bit.
Wow Kimberly really? A $1.00? I do believe it you must live where it grows. We can’t get them at that price here for a long time. Great price! I live in west Texas where we only grow onions, cantaloupes and watermelons and we still don’t get a good price lol. But I love this recipe Beth it’s a must to make it looks very tasty. Thanks.
Made this last night and it was incredible! The sauce was a little salty, but that was due to the broth I used and isn’t the recipe’s fault. This is a new favorite at our house, and I’ll be making it again!
I have this cooking right now, and can tell you, coming from an experienced home cook, that it is gonna be good!! I’ve always found beef stews to be a bit lacking in flavour and I’m soo looking forward to the elements that the mustard and sugar will bring. I’m also LOVE rosemary so…(sorry, I think I just drooled)…I’m anticipating. I didn’t change anything (which is a rare thing for me) except I sprinkled a bit of garlic powder on the meat with the flour, salt, and pepper, and added a bit more garlic to the pan just before de-glazing with all the liquids. If I’d had a spot of wine, I would have probably added it, but from the wonderful smell, I know this is gonna be good!
Thanks!
thanks for the excellent recipe, used fresh rosemary & thyme from the garden, and a splash of red wine to deglaze. Didnt mince the garlic, just smashed it and let it cook with the beef. At about hour 2, the aroma of this gets people excited.
I can’t believe how good this tasted!
We prepared all the ingredients as instructed leaving nothing out and adding nothing (other than adjusting amounts for a larger portion). We then put it in the slow cooker and left it on low for about 8 hours while we enjoyed a few drinks, turning it off and putting it in the fridge before bed.
This stew was then the star of lunch and dinner, and then second dinner, and then breakfast the next day. It has a tasty and deep “umami” flavour with a very pleasant peppery bite (presumably from the mustard) and meat that fell apart in the way you hope it will. My young and fussy kids yummed it up, and we all agree that this will become a staple in our menu.
Next time I will cut the veggies into smaller pieces but even though tender this is the best thing I have eaten this year, thanks for sharing! :)
Just remembered I did add one crumbled “Oxo cube” as my husband is convinced that these are necessary for any good flavour, but I think it would taste as good without :)
It’s a good thing I made this overnight, because there’s NO way I would have been able to resist had I been awake. This recipe (namely, the gravy recipe) is absolutely to die for. I can’t stop raving about the way the carrots, in particular, soaked up every delicious flavor of the gravy. I am stoked that I get to eat this for another week!
made this last week…ust came here to rave.
Oh the smell!! It was scrumptious.
the only difference was I had to change the method to make it using a pressure cooker.
so I browned the lamb, the onion and garlic. then mixed the beef stock, mustard, herbs, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce. added to pressure cooker. pressurised. 15 minutes. depressurised. then added the vegetables. had plenty of leftovers even enough to give a bowl and the recipe to my sister! tonight It’s raining and miserable and im making it again lol!
Made this recipe today, used pork instead of beef. Outstanding flavors, really one of the best stews I have ever tasted! I love the recipes here, another hit!
Did you use beef broth/stock when you used the pork or an alternative stock?
Not sure I really care for the rosemary spice. Sounded like a different recipe, so went and bought a bunch of spices to fix this.
Followed your directions and your pictures had perty much like what I had. I put in half a small turnip, and sautéd a small piece of ginger root with the minced garlic. Didn’t put as much salt in at first, since it used soy sauce. Used about 16 small carrots (tastier than large carrots).
Had previously made mistakes of checking on the slow cooker so let it set on high for 4 hours. Am guessing one should not take off the lid on a slow cooker when it’s on low, but high it shouldn’t matter?
Or maybe this West Bend Crockery Cooker’s high setting is a higher temperature than yours.
After 4 hours had a pasty stew, severely lacking liquid. Nothing like the photo. Added another can (1.5 cup) of beef broth whilst cooking on low to bring any form of liquid back. Also had to add a lot more salt. Now it’s acceptable, sadly it still doesn’t look like your photo.
Must be a difference on high settings of various slow cookers. However, as a slow cooker recipe would it not of been better to had cooked in on low for 6 to 8 hours over the aggressive 4 hours on high?
Was an interesting dish, smelled great, taste isn’t so bad after adding more broth. Still undecided on the rosemary flavour. /grin
In general, you want to try not to open a slow cooker while cooking on any heat setting. Slow cookers do vary a little between manufacturers (and sometimes as they age), so that may have been the issue. The extra root vegetable likely absorbed some salt, too, so that might be why you needed to add more (or just a difference in personal taste). :)
Took some over to the neighbors for a critique, and they liked it. Said was really good.
Figured with both Worcestershire & Soy sauces that extra salt wasn’t needed so much. However you were spot on.
Do you have a preferred slow cooker? Heard some have a timer function and reset to warming when done.
I just have the most basic model that cost only about $25. :)
Different Slow Cookers absolutely cook at different temperatures. The newer models with the removable inserts cook much hotter than the original Crock Pot I inherited from Grandma. I use that one when I need to let something cook for longer than a recipe calls requires. Even at double the time I’ve not had issues with anything being overcooked. I also think they cook more evenly than the newer, removable crock types.
Just found your site, Beth, and am sharing it with all my friends who cook. Thank you!
I have this cooking right now! Started the meat at 8am and it’s cooking low for 8 hours…….the house smells AMAZING and it’s taking everything I have not to lift the lid and sneak a spoonful. Found this recipe on Pinterest 3 days ago and HAD to try it! Now I’m excited to dig through your blog and see any other recipes to try out! I also was able to make this recipe for less than the $14.91 (only cost me about $7.50 being I had most of the ingredients PLUS meat was on sale this week!) Mine looks just like your photo and is cooking beautifully, thank you so much for this recipe!
Beth, I tried this receipe over the holidays and it was a hit. Everyone loved it. The only thing I changed was I used sweet potatos instead. This recipe was super quick to make…I wish I had made more! I can’t wait to try another receipe on the site.
Thank you!
Made this recipe the other night, but put it in my dutch oven in the oven at 325 for 3+ hours. It was AMAZING! Time and Time again, you make me look like I know what I’m doing in the kitchen! Thank you for sharing all of your incredible recipes!
This looks wonderful! But looks like I’m going to have to transition to a gluten free diet soon. Can you sub the flour for anything else? Or can you omit it entirely?
I think I’d just omit it. Your stew will be slightly less thick, but you can try mashing the potatoes a bit when it’s done to help thicken it up.
I also try to eat gluten-free and I’ve had great results with potato flour.
Corn starch works in a pinch!
The first bowl was delicious.. then I put two portions in the fridge and two in the freezer. Both sets were not good at all… most, if not all the juice disappears, potatoes become mushy.
Any tips?
The liquid will continue to absorb into the potatoes whether it’s in the fridge or freezer, unfortunately. I don’t think there’s any way to avoid that, though. Personally, I still love it even after it thickens and softens! :)
Totally amazing! I made this for lunch and had some cracked wheat bulgur bread (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/health/nutrition/10recipehealth.html?_r=0) to go with. Only changes I made was to throw in 3 parsnips and only cook it for 3.5 hours since the potatoes were tender and I was hungry. Very good consistency- perfect stew to make during winter.
Beth, this recipe for the Rosemary Garlic Beef Stew in Slow Cooker was great, had it last night. I had to cut recipe in half because there was just two of us.. Everything was good and my cooker kept it warm until we were ready to eat it. Thanks
I made this yesterday although I left out the soy sauce since I didn’t have any on hand. It was delicious! It went very well with your rosemary and black pepper drop biscuits. I can’t wait to try it again today after the flavors have hung out for a while.
Hi everyone and Merry Christmas! I made this recipe today and I was really disappointed because it was sweet. I was hesitant to put in the brown sugar but went ahead with it anyway. Hubby and I didn’t like it much due to the sweet factor. Now I’ve got all this stew for 2 people that neither of us like much. Anybody have any idea how to totally negate the sweet factor at this point?
If I pre make this what would be the best method to reheat and how long?
I usually just reheat in the microwave. Start with a minute, stir, then add more time as needed. You can also reheat it on the stove top in a pot with a lid, heat on low, stirring occasionally until it’s warmed through. The time needed will depend on the size of your pot and your burners.
This recipe sounds amazing! But I need a bit larger amount, so how long should I cook this if I make 1 1/2 times the recipe? And do you think it’ll all fit in a 7qt slow cooker?
My slow cooker was fairly full, and I think it’s a 5 or 6 qt, so I’m not sure if 1.5x will fit in a 7qt. It might be tight. You’ll probably need 4-6 hours on high.
It is in the crock pot cooking now. It is already smelling wonderful!
I don’t often comment on blogs, but I made this yesterday and IT WAS AMAZING. I’ve been looking for a go-to stew recipe and this is absolutely it. the only disappointing part was that my husband and i ate so much of it, we only had one serving left over! ;-)
I made this last weekend and we ate off it pretty much all week. It smelled FANTASTIC while it was cooking. The only thing I did differently was ease up on the celery because I’m not a big fan of cooked celery. A winner!
We LOVED this. Upped the Dijon a bit as we like that flavour. Best stew we have ever had!!
Will this fit into a 3 quart slow cooker or should I halve the recipe?
Definitely cut it in half. :)
Everything looks so good. My vegetables were not covered with broth, so I added 1 more can of beef broth to the crock pot. So hope this stew is not too liquidly.
Making this as I type … still kind of pissed that Mr. Mandalay apparently ate all the Dijon mustard but I substituted a little bit of red wine and I won’t lie, things are smelling AMAZING already!
Hello,
Are you using fresh thyme or dried thyme in this recipe? It doesn’t state above…
Thank you
It’s dried :)
Is it OK to use fresh rosemary? If so, do I use the same amount as dried? Thank you.
Yes, fresh would be awesome. I’d use a 1/2 Tbsp, chopped fresh rosemary.
You had me at “Drool Inducing”
Yum yum yum. This was my Thanksgiving main course instead of a turkey, and it didn’t disappoint–even though I accidentally lost about half the skillet “broth” to boil-over and had to attempt to make it up!
You just can’t beat the tenderness of slow-cooked meat. I’m sure I’ll come back to this one again.
I will be trying your recipe tomorrow– can’t wait. I’m wondering what I could substitute the Dijon mustard with- need to avoid wine. Also, would it work to cook it on low for a longer period of time? Thank you!
Most commercial Dijon mustards don’t contain wine, so I think you’ll be good! :)
Made a batch this past weekend and it was the best beef stew I have ever made! I was a little skeptical of the soy-dijon sauce, but I kept to the recipe and am glad I did. The resulting flavors are amazing. The soy and dijon work with the herbs and beef broth to make a flavorful base for the beef and veggies to cook in. Next time I think i may add some barley as well. I look forward to trying more of your recipes soon.
I made this last Sunday for supper when it was really cold and dreary, along with some yeast rolls. The stew came out absolutely amazing! My husband said it was the perfect meal :) I will definitely be making it again soon!
I already have a love affair with your sausage and lentil stew recipe, and you had to go and introduce me to this! I made it 2 days ago and am making it again tonight!!! I didn’t have any dijon so just left that out, but used some red wine to help deglaze the pan. Also, I didn’t have any beef broth, but I did have chicken stock and when ahead and used it instead. As you said, the smell is AMAZING and the taste is OH MY GOODNESS I’M HOOKED! Thank you for the great recipe!!! Can’t wait to try it with all the right ingredients! :)
Do you think you this could be made with pork shoulder instead of beef?
Hmm, I don’t see why not! :)
I made this tonight with 1.3 lbs of pork tenderloin and it was amazing! I didn’t change anything else. Thanks Beth!
Really enjoyed this. We will be making this many more times this winter. Added one bay leaf and one cup of red wine as I put everything in the slow cooker.
This is amazing. So good that it made me leave a comment. My New favorite recipe on this site.
Great recipe, thanks!
I don’t have slow cooker but big metal pot on the lowest heat was ok.
It’s already really cold where I live so this sounds like an amazing dinner for this week BUT my sweetie doesn’t like onions. : (
Any suggestions for a substitute or could I just leave it out altogether? Thanks!
You could probably leave it out all together, but because of the way this all cooks down, there is not a strong oniony flavor from them. It just adds a nice layer to the flavor.
This came out amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe…we’ve been using the slow cooker beef stew spice packets from the grocery store…your recipe is so much better :-)
This is cooking in my slow cooker right now and it smells amazing!! I can’t wait to try it- this was a great way to use up a bunch of my CSA veggies :-)
This is so good!!
I must have a really small slow cooker though because I could only fit about half of everything into it – I think I did put a couple extra carrots and pieces of celery in there though . . . ;-) So, I put the other half in the fridge, and will make it again!
This is so good!
Thanks!
Help!
This recipe looks awesome. I just out it all together. My crockpot was entirely full but when I poured the liquid in it didn’t come close to covering the mixture (maybe just like almost a third!) is that ok? Should I add more broth? Or will the mixture break down and release more liquid as it cooks? I’ve never used a crockpot before!
Thanks!
Yes, it’s okay. The liquid will NOT cover the ingredients. The meat and vegetables let off a lot of liquid as they cook, so the liquid level will rise. :)
I made this last night and it was amazing! I couldn’t help myself and added a dark lager in place of some of the broth, and also threw in a few extra carrots/celery to use up what I had. It was perfectly done at 4 hours and I couldn’t wait to eat it!
YUM!!
This is bubbling away in our crockpot right now, in anticipation of the Twin Cities’ first real winter storm of the season. I went by the recipe as much as I could, although I had to use bouquet garni rather than straight rosemary. I can’t wait to taste it! A question: is there a reason you didn’t add a bay leaf? I’m guessing that the sauce combination will add the needed depth, but I’m curious.
I just didn’t think about it. :)
This recipe turned out VERY well! It was very important to let the stew cook long enough for the meat to get tender, and also, I think my crock pot runs hot, because I had to add some beef broth. I’ll probably add a bay leaf next time. My husband loved the stew but mentioned he missed smelling the bay leaf when he came in the house. (I didn’t know bay leaves smell!) Thank you for a terrific – and inexpensive recipe!
I bought my first cast iron skillet and seasoned it just for this recipe. I’m about to start it!
hello Beth! Could I substitute the red meat with fish or seafood?
No, unfortunately seafood won’t work with this recipe. It is far too delicate to stand up to the slow cooker (and I’m not sure if the flavors would blend well).
I’m about to have this for dinner, yum. For those who found it took longer than advertised to cook: my crockpot was very full when I started this, and that can increase cooking time.
Kind of new to cooking, was wondering what the difference between this and a pot roast was…? Thanks for any input :)
This is more saucy, but not quite as much as a soup. :) (and the meat is in smaller pieces)
Stew beef was $7/lb! I couldn’t believe it. Ugh. I decided to grab a corned beef brisket and cube it, just to see what would happen because it’s $5/lb. I know it’s different and saltier, but I thought it might be worth a try.
Well…. I had to wrestle with the brisket for a VERY long time to get it cut up. It was so nasty. Is it a bad idea to cut a raw brisket or are my knives the ones to blame?
If I have to go with a brisket again, I think I’ll just cook that in the slower cooker with the onions, all the liquids, and seasonings, then dice it after 4 hours and cook with the veggies on the stove.
It smells delicious though!
And speaking of meat prices, I noticed that spiral cut hams are already fairly cheap per pound, and I know they will get even cheaper in the next few weeks. It’s already $1.60/lb at Aldi. I’m planning on using the bones to make my favorite ham stock (made with leek, onion, cinnamon, cloves, and coriander–it smells like Christmas!). But do you have any ideas how I can stretch the meat across more meals?
Hmm, I haven’t ever made anything with spiral ham, but that’s a good idea for this year! I love ham!
Ham and pineapple pizza?
Rather than corned beef brisket, you might want to go with a chuck roast and cut it up. Actually, I prefer it to stew meat, which loses a lot of its moisture and fat in the cutting process. The beauty of crockpots is that they are MADE for cheaper cuts of meat!
This was really good and super easy to throw together. It wasn’t a big change for what I usually do, but it was enough of one to make the old dish seem new and exciting. I’ll be throwing this in my recipe book for later.
My one mistake was that I used WAY too little salt, but this is a problem that I have more often than not. I’m always afraid to overdo it on the salt and end up having to add a ton later.
We can’t do flour. Could we sub cornstarch for the 1/4c of flour?
That will help thicken the stew, but it will give a different flavor. Instead of coating the beef with it, mix it into the broth mixture after you dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
You might want to try potato flour. Browns nicely and gives a good flavor.
I don’t have a slow cooker…how would you alter this? Leave it on the stove, or put in the oven at what temp?
You can either simmer on low on the stove top, or if you have a Dutch oven, you can cook it in the oven on about 300 degrees. I don’t know the times needed to cook with those methods, though. In general, you want it to cook for a long time at a low temp.
My Husband is a great fan of yours & wants to trt out every recipe. He has cooked 4 of them already. The beef stew was yummy. He cooked it himself. I am not a fan of Rosemary & thyme. But it looked just like the picture. Everything was good about it. He also made the spinach & feta cheese in pastry & the egg noodle with the beef stir fry. I am going to try making the fish with teriyaki sauce & spicy mayonnaise & serve it with coconut rice & also the pasta with bacon & spinach. We Love your blog.
Made this tonight using mushrooms instead of the beef–they were on sale for 3/$5/8oz and I’m a vegetarian. Added a little more soy sauce to “meat it up.” One sprig of fresh rosemary gave it ample rosemary flavor. I threw in a few extra cloves of garlic because… well, garlic. It took about four and a half hours on high for the vegetables to become tender. I left it on warm for another two hours. Perfect.
Can I substitute a roast for the stew meat?
Yep, just cut it up into smaller pieces.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was awesome! The only change I made was scooping some of the veggies out in the last thirty minutes and pureeing them a bit with my immersion blender before putting them back in. It thickened the stew up perfectly. I also made some cornbread to go along with it. I’ll be adding this to my list of go-to recipes!
It looks like my rating didn’t show up so I wanted to make sure it did. :)
I am a huge fan, make things from your website all the time. I am wondering if anyone else found that this took way longer than 4 hours on high. It’s been 6 hours and my veggies are still hard. I’m not sure if it’s my crock pot or if I added more veggies than the recipe called for (I am not a big “measurer”) and tend to always add more than the recipe calls for. Long story short we had Taco Bell for dinner and plan on having this tomorrow. I will probably put it on low for the day and hopefully everything will be cooked through. It smells wonderful even if it’s not done yet!
Same thing happened to me! I ate it after 5 hours on high, but it really should have gone for another hour. To be fair, it really was better the next day so no loss there :D
The recipe is probably timed for just the amount of vegetables, so if you add more, you have to adjust. Also, you’ll notice that in her photos the size of the vegetables is pretty uniform. It’s important to chop vegetables to the same size so they’ll cook at the same rate. Another thing people do all the time is to keep taking the lid off the crockpot. Don’t! You’ll lose moisture AND heat. If you see it bubbling, it’s working.
Hmm, my first thought is that your slow cooker might be a bit off. Any vegetable should be soft after four hours on high in a slow cooker. That’s a lot of heat and a long time! :)
This was excellent! Made it this afternoon for the family while we were out and about and when we came home, the house smelled delicious! There’s a minor typo in the recipe – you should mention the garlic needs to be diced. I almost threw in whole garlic :)
Oh, thank you!!
Anyone have any input on whether or not it is safe to do all the searing and sauce-making the night before, and then store all the pre-crock pot stuff in the insert in the fridge overnight?
Basically, I’d like the early morning step to be limited to sticking the insert back in the crock pot and turning it on–cooking for low on 8 hours instead of high for 4…
I think that will work, but I would only suggest doing so if you cook on high. It will just take too long for all of those cold ingredients to come up to a safe temperature on low. If you have a programmable slow cooker, you can do the first two hours on high and then have it turn down to low for the remainder. If you don’t, it might even be okay cooking on high for 8 hours. Everything will be very soft, but I’m sure it would taste divine!
I’ve been considering purchasing a slow cooker, and this recipe might be the final argument in favor of doing so. One of the things I would love is say, leaving the ingredients ready in the morning before I go to work, and have the slow cooker start four hours before my arrival, so the meal would be ready just as I got home. But I’m a little concerned about leaving the ingredients sitting during the day. Do you think it would damage the consistency?
From a food safety standpoint, you really shouldn’t leave the ingredients in the pot without it turned on for that long. I would turn it on before you leave, but turn it on low. 8 hours on low is about the same as 4 hours on high, so that should work well. :)
I’ve been told that things generally taste better when cooked for 8 hours – is that not necessarily so?
I’m cooking this for my fiance tonight and, to make things easier, have already prepared the vegetables. I’m afraid that they’ll get a little soggy by then (will probably start cooking in 5 hours or so). I assume it would be ok to go ahead and start cooking on low? I’m just afraid of messing this up as she’s really excited about this stew.
Thanks!
I don’t think it will be a huge taste difference if you cook on high for four hours or low for eight. I’m looking at the time stamp on the comment and assuming you already cooked it? (Sorry, I was out of town yesterday and couldn’t moderate comments until today). How did it turn out?
I grow rosemary in my garden. Do you think I could make this with fresh rosemary?
Absolutely. That would be amazing!
Made this for dinner tonight, SO YUMMY! I added about a cup of red wine along with a bay leaf and it was a good choice! This is an amazing and easy recipe that fills the home with such a beautiful aroma. Love it :-)
Yum! I really wanted to add red wine to mine, too.
I’m thinking of adding barley, because I love beef and barley soup. Any idea when I would do that? I’m wondering if I can throw it in the crock pot with the rest, or if I should cook it separately and then serve stew over it, like pasta.
I haven’t tried it, but I think I would probably add it with the rest. It might get kind of soft that way, though, so if that bothers you, cook it separately.
Would you need to add more beef broth if you added the barley in with the rest of the ingredients?
Growing up my mother always cooked the barley separate so it would not make the leftovers all mushey. I think it is worth the extra pot to wash so the stew says good the next day.
Made this for me and my husband this week. Oh my goodness! It made the house smell incredible all day (some visitors kept trying to invite themselves for dinner by commenting on how good it smelled), and tasted great. My husband and I both agreed it was even better on day 2. Fantastic recipe, love your site! Thank you!
love your blog! Would this stew taste good a tad bit spicey? I’m thinking of adding cayenne pepper when I sauté the garlic? Also, I don’t have flour, would this still taste good without it? I know it won’t be as think ….
The flour is responsible for a good bit of flavor because it browns in the skillet with the meat, but I suspect it would still be pretty good without it. And yes, it will definitely be more on the watery side. I tend to like anything spicy, so I can’t see a little cayenne being a bad thing. :)
This looks freaking amazing! I probably wouldn’t spend that much on stew beef, I usually buy when it’s about $3.99/lb (I think? maybe more). $6/lb seems rather high to me. But, it looks so good I might have to buy some meat not on sale and cook this up next week!!
I made this for dinner Sunday night and even though I forgot to add the brown sugar, it still turned out so amazing! So easy and delicious. Will definitely make this again and again. :)
I don’t generally make beef stew, but this sounds really good. Do you have to buy beef stew meat? I have some extra steaks in the freezer that I sometimes use in stroganoff (cut into cubes). Do you think that would work? Or is the idea behind the beef stew meat that it is a really tough cut and this makes it more tender? I don’t like when meat just becomes mush…..
I used “older” frozen steak once for beef stew because I refused to throw the meat out and it came out great. Because it wasn’t as tough of a cut of beef as “stew” meat, it was cooked tender a lot faster than the time that the recipe called for so you might want to cut back on the cooking time or just check it…..how’s that for a run on sentence!
Yes, that’s exactly what stew meat is. :) Really tough meat that’s just no good any other way! Ha!
In my head I think we are best friends! This dish was amazing and got better the next day. I used my dutch oven on the stove top and it came out great. Thank you Beth of this AMAZING blog.
I made this last night and it was do die for! The extra step of browning in the pan was well worth it.
This one is going to make my wife VERY happy! I usually make your vegetarian recipes, but this rich and meaty one is going on the menu for next week. Love, love, love your Web site. Thank you for all the lessons and ideas and encouragement.
How big is your crockpot? I had to halve the portions to fit in mine.
I think it’s about 5 quarts.
This looks lovely! To keep the price of beef down and the meat lean, I often buy a roast on sale and then cut it into chunks myself. I know it’s more that 1 1/2 pounds but I can portion it out into freezer bags for later use.
Made this tonight, sans slow cooker as we didn’t have time, and it was delicious. The mustard added a wonderful flavor I didn’t expect and I think I’ll actually add touch more next time.
Yum! Another way to pinch pennies is buying a cheaper cut (beef chuck or round) and cutting into stew pieces at home. Stores usually charge more for precut items.
So this was a huge success with my parents, both yesterday and today. Turns out that after they had it for dinner last night (I was out), my father just left it in the slow cooker on “warm.” For something like 18 hours! Well, it all cooked down into a delicious thickness. I’m wondering what else you might recommend tossing in. Would there be any point to mushrooms? Frozen peas or corn?
Yes, I meant to do peas, but forgot to pick them up at the store. Mushrooms would actually be an even better fit. Their earthiness would be awesome with the rosemary. Corn would be okay, but I feel like that would turn it into just a stew of miscellaneous ingredients. Sweet potatoes would be awesome to use in place of the white potatoes, too.
I’m going to make this for dinner on Monday, supposed to be a bit rainy & cool out.
The best recipe I ever tried! I wanna to share – I tried it in Redmond 4502 multicooker with my cook book (the same recipe is there) and you of course. It takes not for a long time, recipe is not hard, so I made this for an hour. Thanks!
Yum!
This looks so filling and the perfect choice for a chilly fall day..
Thanks for posting this!!
The cook time came up “4 min” instead of 4 hours, so it’s reporting the total time as “34 min.” :)
Thanks! Will fix now. :)
Freezer friendly?
Yes. :)
Hi! Could I maybe try this with chicken? Do you think it would work?
Yes, that would be tasty!
This would be a good recipe for the after-ski crowd. Easy, too ( which as you know is a prerequisite for me).
I LOVE beef stew, and honestly, I thought that stew isn’t something that can be cooked in a slow cooker, so I’m willing to give this recipe a shot. Although it’s just me and my sister, I may have to decrease the servings because I want to avoid wasting food. My mouth is watering right now!!
I bet you could freeze it if you have room in your freezer. I make chicken stew with my chicken leftovers and it freezes really well. Just a thought. :)
I cannot wait for the weather to cool down so I can justify making this…seriously though, might not be able to wait.
Seriously Beth, I am a big fan of your website and always go back to using some of my fav recipes from here. I recently bought a slow cooker and have been obsessed with it ever since. I’ve come back to check your website and you’ve literally loaded AZILLION slow cooker recipes! Very happy! Will be trying them out…watch this space!
Long time reader. First time commenter. This looks absolutely amazing, can’t wait to make it!
Hi! I’m really new to slow cooker cooking, and I would like to try this. Do you think it would turn out ok if I cooked it for 8-9 hours on low while I’m at work during the day? Would I need to change any of the ingredient proportions?
Yep, that should work just fine. Typically, 8 hours on low gives similar results to 4 hours on high. :)
Hi! I’ve made it a goal to become comfortable in the kitchen and your blog has been my main source of learning! It’s been amazing!
Just wondering, do you think I could replace the red potatoes with sweet potatoes? Would you make any other changes with that?
Yes, actually, when I was writing the post that same thought popped into my head and I wished I had used sweet potatoes instead! I bet it would amazing. No other changes needed.
Katie read my mind!!!
Also: think portions are freezable?
Not with the white potatoes, but possibly with sweets. (Simmered/boiled white potatoes get mealy when frozen and reheated.)
Yep!
Or take the potatoes out (or eat them with the stew portion that you do eat), freeze it and add in boiled potatoes when you go to eat it.
You’re making me cry over here. I can smell it through the screen.
I grew up with something VERY similar to this recipe. It didn’t use the soy/dijon/herbs, but instead used a good few cloves and bay leaves thrown in with a red wine (+ a bit of water) deglaze. We finished it with a generous scoop of sour cream.