Real Simple's Slow Cooker Beef Stew - Everyday Cooking Adventures

This was at least my fourth or fifth time making this classic beef stew recipe and every time I’ve made it I love it. Before I had a slow-cooker, I made it on the stovetop in a Dutch oven pot (see directions below for this version). Today, I browned the meat in a cast-iron pan and then cooked it in the slow-cooker.

Browning the Beef in a Cast Iron Skillet ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

I buy pre-cubed beef stew meat from the butcher, use cooking red wine and add roughly chopped garlic as well. My big tip is: Coat the beef in the flour mixed with about 1 Tbsp. of chili powder to oomph the taste of the stew. I love that I can chop up the veggies the night before and store in a ziplock and just brown the beef the next morning and throw it all in the slow cooker.

Slow-Cooker Stew Ready to Start Cooking ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

The beef comes out tender and flavorful and the veggies aren’t soggy and still retain nice flavor. The sauce is sweet due to the tomato paste, so if you like your stew a little more savory, you can lessen the tomato paste but don’t add more beef stock or it will thin the delicious sauce too much. Here’s my beef stew:

Slow-Cooker Classic Beef Stew

From: Real Simple Magazine, March 2004 Servings: 4-5 Hands-On Time: 35min Ingredients

2 pounds bottom round, well trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
OPTIONAL: 1 Tbsp. chili powder (Added by Everyday Cooking Adventures)
1/6 cup olive oil (plus more if needed)
1 large onion, diced (1 cup)
3-ounce can tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 pound potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1/4 pound baby carrots, or carrots chopped into 1″ chunks (about 1 cup)
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Directions for Slow-Cooker: 1. Coat the beef in the flour and chili powder mixture. Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, adding more oil as necessary. Transfer to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.

2. Add the onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and coat the onions; transfer to the cooker. 3. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add to the cooker. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, thyme, and bay leaf. 4. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 1/2 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Add the peas and heat through. MAKE AHEAD TIP: Chop the onion, potatoes, and carrots ahead of time and store in a tightly sealed plastic baggie. Brown the beef and add the bag of veggies to the slow-cooker the next morning.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE OVEN/STOVETOP:

1. Coat the beef in the flour. Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, adding more oil as necessary. Transfer to a heavy casserole or a heavy, covered saucepan or Dutch oven.

2. Add the onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and coat the onions; transfer to the casserole. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add to the casserole. Stir in the broth, salt, thyme, and bay leaf.

3. Cook the casserole in a 325° F oven for 4 hours, or in the saucepan or Dutch oven on the stovetop over low heat for about 2 1/2 hours. In either case, stir occasionally and add up to 1 cup of additional beef broth if necessary. Add the potatoes and carrots during the last hour of cooking, and the peas just before serving.

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4 Responses to Real Simple’s Slow Cooker Beef Stew

AdriBarr October 27 at 3:17 pm

This sounds like perfect food for Fall! My husband and I enjoy stews. It seems my slow cooker languishes on the shelf, however! I start these dishes on the stove top, and finish them in the oven, as you direct in your alternative method. No matter how you do them – in the slow cooker, on the stove top all the way (which is how my mother made hers), or the stove top/oven combo, they are always welcome on the table!

- Everyday Cook October 27 at 4:01 pm
  
  Thanks, AdriBarr! My mom makes hers on the stovetop/oven too. But I bought her a slow-cooker last year for Xmas and I think she will like it if she gives it a try haha!
  
True Agape October 25 at 10:28 pm

We are not much of stew people, but we should try it a few more times! Maybe we will try this recipe if I get up the courage!

- Everyday Cook October 25 at 10:57 pm
  
  We are definitely stew people over here BUT even if you aren’t a slow-cooker stew is so easy that you should try it just once! 🙂