Description
This hearty Crock Pot Beef Stew features tender beef chuck slowly simmered with carrots, potatoes, onions, and flavorful seasonings. Perfectly browned meat combined with savory broth and aromatic herbs creates a comforting and wholesome meal that’s ideal for slow cooking enthusiasts.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Broth
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for browning the meat)
Vegetables
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional, for added color and sweetness)
Seasonings and Sauces
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Start by trimming any excess fat from the beef chuck. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes for even cooking.
- Season the Beef: Season the beef cubes generously with salt and pepper to enhance flavor.
- Brown the Beef: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef cubes in batches to avoid crowding. Brown the beef on all sides for about 3-4 minutes per side. Once browned, transfer the meat to the crock pot.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent. Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and dried rosemary, cooking for an additional minute to meld the flavors.
- Add Aromatic Mixture to Crock Pot: Pour the sautéed onion and garlic mixture over the browned beef in the crock pot.
- Add Vegetables and Broth: Add the chopped carrots, diced potatoes, and the bay leaf to the crock pot, followed by the beef broth. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Cook the Stew: Cover the crock pot with its lid and set it to low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 4-5 hours, until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
- Add Peas and Adjust Seasoning: If using, add the frozen peas in the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Finish and Serve: Once cooking is complete, remove the bay leaf before serving. Ladle the stew into bowls and enjoy your warm, comforting meal!
Notes
- For deeper flavor, brown the beef in batches to avoid steaming instead of searing.
- You can substitute frozen peas with green beans or omit them according to preference.
- Feel free to add other root vegetables like parsnips or turnips for added variety.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors meld further.
- Adjust seasoning at the end to suit taste preferences, especially salt and pepper.
- Use low sodium beef broth if you want to control the salt content.
