This slow cooker old fashioned beef stew is the ultimate comfort food, with tender slow-cooked beef, hearty vegetables and a rich, savoury gravy. It's a traditional-style beef stew that's perfect for chilly evenings and satisfying family dinners.
The slow cooker makes preparing this classic dish wonderfully straightforward. Once the ingredients are ready, the long, gentle cooking helps develop the flavour and gives the beef time to become beautifully tender. Serve it with crusty bread or extra vegetables for a warming, satisfying meal.
The original recipe appeared in the October 2022 Better Homes and Gardens Slow Cooker magazine. Just looking at the picture of it in the magazine made me hungry!
The end result is the most delicious comforting bowl of beef stew. The meat and vegetables are lovely and tender and together with the full of flavour gravy, it's just perfect.
TipS
- Optional variations:
- Beef stew with red wine - replace part of the stock with red wine.
- Beef and mushroom stew - add sliced chestnut mushrooms for extra savoury depth.
- Beef stew with root vegetables - swap out some of the carrots for chunks of parsnips or swede.
- Beef stew with dumplings - cook dumplings in the slow cooker for the last 30 minutes.
- Gluten-free beef stew - use gluten-free stock and a suitable gluten-free thickener.
- Beef stew without potatoes - leave out the potatoes and serve the stew with mashed potatoes or crusty bread instead.
- Richer beef stew - add a little chilli powder or smoked paprika for a warmer, more robust flavour.
- This slow cooker old fashioned beef stew recipe is easily halved if you're cooking for less people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stewing, braising or chuck steak and other suitable slow-cooking cuts work well because the connective tissue gradually breaks down during cooking. This helps produce tender meat and a rich flavour.
Cooking time depends on the slow cooker, the size of the beef pieces and the recipe. Follow the specified low and high settings in the recipe, and check that the beef is tender before serving
Beef that is still tough may need more cooking time. Slow-cooking cuts often become tender only after the connective tissue has had enough time to break down.
If the stew is too thin, you can thicken it with a suitable cornflour slurry or another thickener compatible with the recipe. Follow the product instructions and allow time for the thickener to work.
Browning is not always essential, but it can add extra savoury flavour and colour. Whether to include this step depends on the recipe and how much preparation time you have.
Yes - provided the recipe is designed for that method and the slow cooker is used according to its manufacturer's instructions. Browning first is mainly a flavour choice rather than a universal requirement.
Yes - beef stew can be prepared ahead, cooled and refrigerated. Reheat it thoroughly before serving.
Beef stew generally freezes well. Cool it promptly, transfer it to suitable freezer-safe containers and leave space for expansion. Defrost thoroughly and reheat until piping hot.
Carrots, onions and potatoes are common choices. Mushrooms, parsnips, swede and other root vegetables can also work, depending on the recipe.
Crusty bread, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, dumplings and green vegetables are all good accompaniments.
That depends on the ingredients. Check the stock, sauces and thickener, and use certified gluten-free alternatives where needed
Some slow cooker recipes can be cooked on either setting, but the timings differ and results may vary. Use the timings tested for this recipe rather than assuming the settings are interchangeable.
Yes - it is well suited to batch cooking because it makes several portions and can generally be refrigerated or frozen for later meals.
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How to make this Slow Cooker Old Fashioned Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 130g onion, thinly sliced
- 100g celery, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 750g stewing, braising or chuck steak, cut into 3cm chunks
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 450g baby potatoes, halved
- 4 carrots (approx. 480g), peeled and cut into 2.5 to 3.5cm pieces
- 900g beef stock (made using 2 stock cubes or pots)
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 34g plain flour
- 45g butter, softened
- 210g frozen peas or petit pois
Instructions
- In a large frying pan or skillet heat 1 tbsp of the oil over a medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is golden. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Season the meat with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat another tbsp of oil in the frying pan or skillet over a medium to high heat. Add half of the meat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Transfer to the slow cooker with the onion mixture. Repeat with the remaining oil and meat and transfer it to the slow cooker with the rest of the meat and onion mixture.
- Add the potatoes, carrots and stir in the stock, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or high for 5 to 6 hours, until the meat and vegetables are tender. If cooking on low, turn the slow cooker on to high.
- In a small bowl combine the flour and butter. Stir the butter mixture and peas into the beef mixture. Cover and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, until thickened. Season to taste, and serve.
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Slow Cooker Old Fashioned Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 130 g (4.6 oz) onion thinly sliced
- 100 g (3.5 oz) celery trimmed and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 750 g (1.7 lb) stewing, braising or chuck steak cut into 3cm chunks
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 450 g (1 lb) baby potatoes halved
- 4 carrots (approx. 480g) peeled and cut into 2.5 to 3.5cm pieces
- 900 g (4 cups) beef stock made using 2 stock cubes or pots
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 34 g (1.2 oz) plain flour
- 45 g (1.6 oz) butter softened
- 210 g (7.4 oz) frozen peas or petit pois
Instructions
- In a large frying pan or skillet heat 1 tbsp of the oil over a medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is golden. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Season the meat with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat another tbsp of oil in the frying pan or skillet over a medium to high heat. Add half of the meat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Transfer to the slow cooker with the onion mixture. Repeat with the remaining oil and meat and transfer it to the slow cooker with the rest of the meat and onion mixture.
- Add the potatoes, carrots and stir in the stock, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or high for 5 to 6 hours, until the meat and vegetables are tender. If cooking on low, turn the slow cooker on to high.
- In a small bowl combine the flour and butter. Stir the butter mixture and peas into the beef mixture. Cover and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, until thickened. Season to taste, and serve.
Notes
- Optional variations:
- Beef stew with red wine - replace part of the stock with red wine.
- Beef and mushroom stew - add sliced chestnut mushrooms for extra savoury depth.
- Beef stew with root vegetables - swap out some of the carrots for chunks of parsnips or swede.
- Beef stew with dumplings - cook dumplings in the slow cooker for the last 30 minutes.
- Gluten-free beef stew - use gluten-free stock and a suitable gluten-free thickener.
- Beef stew without potatoes - leave out the potatoes and serve the stew with mashed potatoes or crusty bread instead.
- Richer beef stew - add a little chilli powder or smoked paprika for a warmer, more robust flavour.
- This slow cooker old fashioned beef stew recipe is easily halved if you're cooking for less people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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