Beef stew is an ideal dish to prepare in a slow cooker. The low and slow cooking process tenderises the beef chuck and allows the rich and hearty flavors to develop over several hours. Follow this simple guide to make perfectly cooked slow cooker beef stew every time.
Ingredients and Tools
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef chuck. cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 medium carrots, sliced
- 4-6 potatoes cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup porter or stout beer (optional)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 15-20 button mushrooms cut into halves
- Fresh thyme
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
- 2-4 tbsp plain flour (optional)
Tools
- Suvie or a slow cooker
- Skillet, preferably cast iron (Optional)
Directions
Season the beef chuck with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add some olive and once hot, cook the beef until lightly seared. Remove from the pan.*
*Note: The above step is optional. If you’re short on time you can simply add the beef to the pot or pans without searing.
Chop the carrots, mushrooms, potaotes, and onions and crush the garlic.
Suvie Instructions
Add the beef stock, beer (if using), garlic, thyme, tomato paste, and Worchester sauce to the Suvie protein pan (divide between two pans if necessary) season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the beef, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, and onions. Stir to combine.
Place the pan in the upper right cooking zone. Fill the reservoir with water and enter the Slow Cook settings into your Suvie. Set to cook now or schedule.
Slow Cook Settings
Protein: LOW, 6 hours
Starch: 0 minutes
After the cook, remove the pan or pans.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Add the beef stock and beer (if using) to the pot along with the garlic, thyme, tomato paste, and Worchester sauce. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the beef, carrots, mushrooms, onions, and potatoes. Stir to combine.
Place the lid on the pot and Cook:
Low for 8 hours
Or
High for 4 hours
Serving
Remove pans from Suvie or turn off the slow cooker. Add a small amount of flour and stir into the stew. Keep adding flour until the stew has thickened.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a chunk of crusty bread.
Recipes to try
Beef Stroganoff
Beef Chili
Beef Bulgogi
Catalan Fricandó
Brisket and Onions
Boeuf Bourguignon
FAQs
Do I have to use porter or stout?
Nope, you can use any beer you like, or use red wine instead, or forgo the alcohol entirely! We find that a dark rich beer adds to the hearty flavor of the stew, but it is optional.
Can I skip the pre-sear?
You can, however the pre-sear step adds an added layer of flavor to the dish.
Can I skip the flour step at the end?
Of course! If you prefer a thinner stew feel free to skip the flour.
