Description
This Wholesome Crockpot Beef Stew is a hearty, comforting dish perfect for cozy dinners. Tender stew meat simmers slowly with aromatic herbs, robust red wine, beef stock, and a medley of fresh vegetables, creating a rich and flavorful meal. Enhanced with a touch of tomato concentrate, Worcestershire sauce, and optional gravy master for depth of color, this stew is an ideal use of a slow cooker to develop deep, comforting flavors with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 2 ½ pounds of stew meat
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ cup flour
Cooking Fats
- 3-6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons chilled butter (split)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 5 medium carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 cup frozen peas
Liquids and Flavorings
- 1 cup cabernet sauvignon or merlot wine
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato concentrate
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 rosemary sprig
Thickening and Optional
- ¼ cup cold water mixed with 3 tablespoons corn starch (optional)
- 2-3 drops gravy master (optional for a deeper color)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: Season the stew meat with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt. Dredge the meat in flour until well coated, which helps to thicken the stew later on.
- Brown the Meat: Heat 3-6 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the stew meat in batches, searing until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, melt half the chilled butter. Add chopped onions and minced garlic, cooking until softened and translucent to build a flavor base.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in 1 cup of cabernet sauvignon or merlot wine to deglaze the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom for extra flavor. Reduce slightly for a few minutes.
- Combine Ingredients in Crockpot: Transfer the browned meat, sautéed onions and garlic, and the wine with its reduced sauce to the crockpot. Add beef stock, beef bouillon cubes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato concentrate, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary sprig.
- Cook the Stew: Cover and cook on low for approximately 8 hours or on high for about 4 hours until the meat is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
- Finish the Stew: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the frozen peas and add the remaining chilled butter for richness. If the stew needs thickening, mix the corn starch with cold water and stir into the stew. Cook until thickened. For a deeper color, add 2-3 drops of gravy master if using.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Ladle the stew into bowls and enjoy warm with crusty bread or your preferred side.
Notes
- For best results, brown the meat in batches to avoid overcrowding which prevents proper searing.
- Using a full-bodied red wine like cabernet sauvignon or merlot adds depth to the stew’s flavor.
- The corn starch slurry is optional and only necessary if you prefer a thicker stew.
- Gravy master is optional and used mainly for enhancing the stew’s color; it won’t notably affect flavor.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
