Description
This hearty Crock Pot Beef Stew features tender beef cubes slow-cooked with potatoes, carrots, celery, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for a comforting meal, the stew is flavorful and easy to prepare, allowing the slow cooker to do all the work for a rich and satisfying dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into cubes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup flour (optional, for thickening)
Vegetables
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Herbs
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Season the Beef: In a large bowl, season the beef stew meat generously with salt and pepper. If you prefer a thicker stew, coat the beef pieces evenly with the flour to help thicken the sauce as it cooks.
- Layer Ingredients in Crock Pot: Place the seasoned beef into the Crock Pot. Next, add the cubed potatoes, sliced carrots, chopped celery, chopped onion, and minced garlic on top of the beef.
- Add Liquids and Herbs: Pour in the beef broth and water. Sprinkle the dried thyme and rosemary over the ingredients, and add the bay leaf. Stir gently to combine the ingredients evenly in the slow cooker.
- Cook the Stew: Cover the Crock Pot with its lid. Cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours, or alternatively on high heat for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is tender and the vegetables are fully cooked.
- Final Seasoning: Once cooked, remove the bay leaf from the stew. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt or pepper as desired.
- Serve Warm: Ladle the stew into bowls and serve immediately, enjoying the comforting and rich flavors of this slow-cooked meal.
Notes
- For a thicker stew, coating the beef with flour is optional but recommended.
- You can substitute the beef broth with vegetable broth for a lighter flavor.
- Adding a splash of red wine before cooking can deepen the stew’s flavor.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
