Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Here’s a deeply flavoured, classic Slow Cooker Beef Stew that’s rich, hearty, and packed with tender beef and vegetables in a velvety gravy.

Overview

• Prep time: 30 minutes

• Cook time: 7-8 hours on LOW (or 4-5 hours on HIGH)

• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

For the Beef

• Beef: 1.2 kg (2.5 lbs) chuck steak or braising beef, cut into 4-5cm (2-inch) cubes

• Plain flour: 3 tbsp, seasoned with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper

• Olive or vegetable oil: 2-3 tbsp, for browning

Aromatics & Liquid

• Onion: 1 large, diced

• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced

• Tomato paste: 2 tbsp

• Red wine: 200ml (¾ cup) — or replace with extra beef broth

• Beef broth: 500ml (2 cups)

• Worcestershire sauce: 2 tbsp

• Bay leaves: 2

• Fresh thyme: 3-4 sprigs (or 1 tsp dried)

• Fresh rosemary: 1 sprig (or ½ tsp dried), optional

Vegetables

• Carrots: 3-4 medium, peeled and cut into thick chunks

• Celery: 2 stalks, cut into chunks

• Waxy potatoes: 400g (14 oz) baby or new potatoes, halved if large (or use peeled, chopped Maris Pipers)

• Frozen peas: 100g (¾ cup), added at the end

Finishing Touches

• Salt and black pepper: to taste

• Fresh parsley: chopped, for garnish

• Crusty bread or dumplings: to serve

Method

1. Coat and Brown the Beef

Toss the beef cubes in the seasoned flour until lightly coated. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan), adding more oil as needed. You want a dark, caramelised crust on all sides. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker.

2. Sauté the Aromatics

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring constantly for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the red wine (if using) and scrape up all the browned bits from the pan. Let it bubble for 2 minutes.

3. Build the Stew Base

Tip the onion mixture into the slow cooker over the beef. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Stir to combine.

4. Add the Root Vegetables

Nestle the carrots, celery, and potatoes into the liquid. It won’t fully cover them — that’s fine.

5. Slow Cook

Cover with the lid and cook:

• LOW: 7-8 hours

• HIGH: 4-5 hours
  The stew is ready when the beef is fall-apart tender and the vegetables are cooked through.

6. Finish and Serve

About 10 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaves and herb stems. Stir in the frozen peas (they’ll cook in the residual heat). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The flour from the beef and the potatoes will have naturally thickened the gravy; if you prefer it even thicker, see the note below.

Ladle into deep bowls, scatter with fresh parsley, and serve with crusty bread or fluffy dumplings.

Top Tips

• Don’t skip browning. It builds the deep, savoury backbone of the stew.

• Baby potatoes work best as they hold their shape. If using large potatoes, cut them into even 5cm chunks and add them halfway through cooking if you prefer them less soft.

• For even thicker gravy: Mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water to form a paste. Stir into the stew 20 minutes before the end of cooking.

• Make it ahead: This stew tastes even better the next day. Cool, refrigerate, and reheat gently.