Description

This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is a classic, hearty dish perfect for cozy meals. Tender chunks of stew meat are browned to develop rich flavor, then slowly cooked with onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, and a splash of red wine in a savory beef broth. Finished with a velvety butter swirl and optional corn starch thickening, this recipe delivers comforting depth and warmth with minimal hands-on time.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Seasoning

2 ½ pounds stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon celery salt
¼ cup flour

Cooking Fats

3–6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons cold butter, divided

Vegetables and Aromatics

2 cups yellow onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 cup frozen peas

Liquids and Flavorings

1 cup cabernet sauvignon (or merlot)
4 cups beef broth
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Optional Ingredients for Finish

¼ cup cold water
3 tablespoons corn starch
2–3 drops Gravy Master (optional, for darker color)

Instructions

Prepare the Meat: Cut the stew meat into 1-inch cubes, discarding any large pieces of fat but keeping marbled fat within the meat for flavor. Season the meat evenly by sprinkling with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt, then toss to coat.
Coat with Flour: Sprinkle flour over the seasoned meat and toss thoroughly to ensure each piece is coated. This helps create a nice crust when browning and will also aid in thickening the stew later.
Brown the Meat: Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In batches, add the meat without overcrowding and brown each side for about 45 seconds until nicely seared. Add more olive oil if needed between batches. Transfer all browned meat to the slow cooker.
Sauté Onions and Garlic: Reduce skillet heat to medium and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add diced onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Pour in a splash of wine and use a silicone spatula to scrape the browned bits off the skillet bottom—these bits carry deep flavor. Transfer onions, garlic, and the wine to the slow cooker.
Add Remaining Ingredients: Into the slow cooker, add the beef broth, beef bouillon cubes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary. Stir gently to combine all components except peas, corn starch mixture, and remaining butter.
Slow Cook the Stew: Cover and cook on low for 7 ½ to 8 hours or on high for 3 ½ to 4 hours, until vegetables are tender and potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
Add Peas: During the final 15 minutes of cooking, add frozen peas to the stew. Remove bay leaves and rosemary stem before serving.
Optional Thickening: If you prefer a thicker stew, mix ¼ cup cold water with 3 tablespoons corn starch until smooth, then slowly stir this mixture into the stew. Allow to thicken standing for a few minutes.
Finish with Butter: Turn off the slow cooker heat. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter to create a smooth, velvety texture—a technique known as “Monter au Beurre.” Optionally, add 2-3 drops of Gravy Master for a richer, darker color before serving.

Notes

Choose stew meat with enough marbling for tenderness and flavor. Avoid large external fat pieces.
Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot adds depth to the stew. Non-alcoholic substitutions can be beef broth, but flavor will be less complex.
Adding the corn starch slurry is optional and only necessary if you prefer a thicker consistency.
Gravy Master is a commercial browning sauce that enhances color and richness but can be omitted.
For best results, do not skip browning the meat; it builds foundational flavor.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours 30 minutes to 8 hours (low) or 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours (high)
Category: Stew
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: slow cooker beef stew, easy beef stew, comfort food, hearty stew, crockpot beef stew, classic beef stew