I don’t know how it’s going in your part of the country, but up here in New England we are having a brutally rude and unfair winter. I mean, yeah, it’s winter. It gets really cold, there’s barely any sunshine, and it snows, but this year has been one of the most difficult I can remember in a very long time. There’s more snow than places to put it and I’m pretty sure my kids have been home more days than they have actually been at school in the past two months. They are happy now, but come June it’s not going to be pretty when they are making up for a ridiculous number of snow days. One of the best ways to get through stormy winter days, aside from taking a double (or triple) dose of Vitamin D, is by cooking and eating a big bowl of comfort food. Personally, I love using the slow cooker. I do a bunch of prepping, toss everything in, and spend the next 6-8 hours taking in the delicious smell from my kitchen. Most recently I decided to throw together a hearty beef stew that I was certain Cody and Paul would love but not so sure about Nick. I bribed him by saying I’d serve it with a side of crusty baguette and he reluctantly agreed.
I hadn’t made a beef stew in quite a while so when I started to search for a recipe I got a little frustrated because none were simple and basic, which I find is always best when preparing a batch of such a classic comfort food. I finally decided to to create something on my own and even though I didn’t taste it along the way or eat it for dinner (I don’t eat meat), I gauged how well it turned out by the fact that the guys devoured it. As in, ALL of it. I figure if they loved it so much then I should share it and save it for later, you know, when we get more snow and need an easy meal for a cozy Sunday afternoon when we’re stuck inside and nearly ready to tear each others’ heads off.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Here’s what you need: (This amount fed three guys, 2-3 servings each.)
- 1 – 1 1/2 pounds stew beef
- 4 potatoes, washed and cut into bite-sized chunks
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 – 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 – 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 – 3 cups broth (I used vegetable)
- 1/4 cup olive oil – I actually used bacon fat leftover from breakfast and Paul said it added nice flavor.
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
Here’s what you need to do:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, toss the beef and flour in a large bowl making sure to coat the meat completely.
- Add the meat to the skillet and turn several times to brown all sides. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
- Add more oil to the pan if needed and toss in the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes then add the garlic and saute for 5 more minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and and combine until the onions are coated completely. Add the mixture to the slow cooker.
- Pour 1 cup of the broth into the skillet and whisk, making sure to scrape up any bits in the bottom of the pan. Add the liquid to the slow cooker.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, 2 cups of broth, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and bay leaf to the slow cooker and stir to combine everything together.
- Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
- 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve the stew, use a ladle to remove 1 cup of liquid from the cooker and whisk it with about 1 tablespoon of flour until completely combined. Pour back into the stew, add the peas, and give everything a stir.
- Serve and enjoy!
*You can skip the first part of step 8 if you like a thinner liquid in your stew, but my family likes it thicker, which makes this a very important part of the process for me.
I hope your winter hasn’t been nearly as brutal as ours, but if it has, I promise this stew will warm things up a little bit. Now can we please just fast forward to summer?
Our winter in Pennsylvania hasn’t been too bad, but it is still winter which means we crave comfort food for dinner. This looks like a fantastic recipe.
I know what you mean about winter in general, Helene, and thank you. I especially recommend serving this stew with a baguette, which is great for dipping.
Slow cookers are awesome. I think they are one of the best kitchen inventions ever. The stew sounds perfect for these cold winter days.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy recently posted..PBJ All Grown Up
I agree with you, Gloria. I’ve been trying to use my slow cooker more this year than in the past. It’s amazing just how many different things it can be used for!
This dish looks amazing. Nice and hearty with everything that balances a healthy meal!
Mama to 5 BLessings recently posted..Birds Of A Feather Flock Together (Almost) Wordless Wednesday With Linky
Thank you, Nicole. It’s always a hit with my family!
Oh my goodness, this stew looks amazing! I’m thinking that I need to make this some time this week. I love a good beef stew.
Amanda Love recently posted..Our Wooden Spoon Family – Crafts for Kids
You definitely should give it a try, Amanda. For me the key is the thickness of the sauce, which I *think* I perfected with this recipe.
I make a beef stew in the slow cooker too. It is one of my favorite comfort foods!
Ashley @irishred02 recently posted..New Favorites at Corner Bakery!
I’d say it’s probably a cooking rule that if you own a slow cooker you must also have a great Beef Stew recipe, Ashley. It’s a favorite here, too.
I love a good hearty stew in winter. This looks so delicious!
keikilani recently posted..I caught my monsters being good! (FREE Behavior Chart Printable)
Thank you, Keiki! It’s a yummy and satisfying meal, for sure.
Slow cooker meals are such a wonderful thing. You enjoy the amazing smell while the food cooks all day and then you enjoy it once it is done.
Janeane Davis recently posted..Take Action Now Role Model – Someone is Watching You
I love crockpot meals to make things easy when you’re on the go with little ones!
MommyJenna recently posted..Round Two Eye Doctor
Oh our winter has been the total opposite in california! I feel like we kind of missed out on winter this year, and although I love spring, I am not quite ready for it to be here in full force already. Your stew sounds delicious, perfect for your cold weather 🙂
That looks like the perfect comfort food. It would be great for a cold winter night!
Lois Alter Mark recently posted..diet coke: it’s mine!
I could not live without my slow cookers. In fact on Saturdays or Sundays it is not uncommon for us to have three lined up and cooking all day long.
Athena recently posted..Kindergarten Cop 2 #KinderCop2
Wow, three at once? Now that’s impressive, but also pretty darn smart!
I have dying to try making a stew in my slow cooker! This looks like an awesome recipe! Pinning it for later!
Milena recently posted..10 Things I Learned This Week in February
Thank you, Milena. I hope you love it as much as my family!
I’ll take a bowl please. I like it when the word ‘easy’ is in a recipe, means I’ll definitely try making it for my kids and I.
Tiffany Cruz recently posted..How to Start Budgeting NOW, For Christmas 2016
I hope you do make it, Tiffany, because I’m confident you’ll love it!
Hello Cathy,
I love what you are doing on Cathy Herard.
By the way, I want to try this recipe without garlic since I have allergy. Will it still taste good? are there any other alternatives I can use?