Description

This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is a hearty and flavorful dish perfect for comforting meals. Featuring tender beef, rich red wine, fresh vegetables, and a savory broth, this stew slow-cooks to perfection, making the meat melt-in-your-mouth tender while developing deep, complex flavors. The recipe includes a simple cornstarch slurry to thicken the stew to a perfect gravy-like consistency and optional Gravy Master for enhanced richness.

Ingredients

Scale

Stew Meat

2 ½ pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

Seasonings & Coating

½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon celery salt
¼ cup all-purpose flour

Cooking Fats

3-6 tablespoons olive oil for browning
3 tablespoons cold butter + 2 tablespoons for cooking onions and garlic

Vegetables & Aromatics

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

Liquids & Flavorings

1 cup red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
4 cups beef broth
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary

Thickening

¼ cup cold water
3 tablespoons corn starch

Optional

2-3 drops Gravy Master for added richness

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Instructions

Prepare the meat: Cut beef stew meat into 1-inch cubes, trimming off any large pieces of fat to ensure leaner meat and better texture in the stew.
Season and coat: In a large bowl, season the beef cubes with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt. Toss well to evenly distribute the seasonings. Sprinkle flour over the meat and toss again to coat all pieces evenly; this will help thicken the stew later.
Brown the meat: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, cooking until all sides are nicely seared. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
Sauté onions and garlic: In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter, cook diced onions and minced garlic until softened and fragrant. Deglaze the skillet with the red wine to loosen browned bits, then transfer the mixture into the slow cooker.
Add remaining ingredients: Into the slow cooker, add carrots, potatoes, beef broth, beef bouillon cubes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, and the rosemary sprig. Stir gently to combine all ingredients.
Cook the stew: Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 7 ½ to 8 hours, or set to high and cook for 3 ½ to 4 hours, until the beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
Add peas: About 15 minutes before the end of cooking, stir in the frozen peas for a fresh pop of color and sweetness.
Thicken the stew: Mix cold water and corn starch to create a slurry. Stir this slurry into the stew gradually to thicken the broth to your desired consistency. Cook an additional few minutes to activate the thickening.
Finish and enrich: Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of cold butter to add richness and a silky texture. Optionally add 2-3 drops of Gravy Master for enhanced flavor depth. Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig before serving.

Notes

Browning the meat is important for developing deep flavors through the Maillard reaction.
Use a good quality red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot for best flavor.
Add the peas at the end to maintain their color and texture.
The cornstarch slurry must be added slowly and cooked briefly to avoid lumps.
Gravy Master is optional but adds an authentic savory richness to the stew.
Be sure to remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig before serving.
Adjust seasoning at the end if needed, especially salt, since broth and bouillon add saltiness.