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Crockpot Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food. Tender chunks of beef with potatoes and carrots in a thick, hearty gravy makes for a nourishing meal any time of year!
Table of Contents
This Crockpot Beef Stew recipe, which we also call Irish Beef Stew, is one of our favorite meals to make on a chilly evening. The simmering stew meat cooks low and slow in the Crockpot, the savory smell permeating the house. It’s such a delightful fragrance to come home to! Our Irish relatives make this each year for St. Patrick’s Day. This recipe is similar to a traditional Irish stew; the only difference is we don’t add beer to the broth. No matter the occasion or season, this stew is warm, comforting and filling. Pair it with our Irish Soda Bread or biscuits and a green side salad and you have a delectable dinner all year ’round!
Ingredients in Crockpot Beef Stew
- Beef Chuck Roast or Beef Stew Meat
- Flour
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Yukon Gold Potatoes – you can also use red potatoes or sweet potatoes. Just be sure to cut them into small cubes so they come out fork tender.
- Baby Carrots
- Butter
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Beef Broth
- Tomato Paste
- Red Wine Vinegar – You can also use balsamic vinegar, wine, or beer.
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Cornstarch Slurry
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Parsley
- Bay Leaves
Suggestions for Crockpot Beef Stew
- What makes this beef so tender and juicy is how long it simmers in the Crockpot. Low and slow is best for this type of recipe, because you can use any type of stew beef and it will become fall apart tender.
- Be sure to brown your stew meat before throwing it in the slow cooker. Searing the meat on all sides ensures the juices stay locked in the meat during cooking.
- I like to cut the vegetables into fairly large chunks so they don’t get soggy while cooking. You can always chop them into smaller bite size pieces later on.
- Try different seasonings to suit your taste. You’ll want to taste test the stew about 30 minutes before serving and add more salt, pepper or seasonings as needed.
- Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- I love the classic potatoes, onions and carrots in this recipe, but you could also add chopped celery, diced green beans, frozen peas or even corn to this stew for even more veggie flavor.
- Need your beef stew quicker? Check out our Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe or our Stove-Top Beef Stew recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to brown stew meat before slow cooking?
It is not necessary to brown the meat, but the flavor and texture results are well worth it in my opinion.
Can you cook raw meat and vegetables together?
Yes, because the internal temperature of everything will be high enough during the cooking process to kill any germs from the raw meat.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Read Next: 35+ Quick and Easy To Follow Dinner Ideas Your Family Will Surely Love
More Crock Pot Soups to Try
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup: Chicken and Rice Soup warms you up on cold fall and winter days. It is also ideal for busy days. The ingredients go into the Slow Cooker in the morning and a nice, hot meal awaits in the evening.
- Crock Pot Split Pea Soup: There are so many different vegetables in this Crock Pot Split Pea Soup. It is very healthy and hearty.
- Slow Cooker Cheese Tortellini Soup: This Cheese Tortellini Soup is a flavorful, easy slow cooker meal. Tortellini, sausage, and spinach in a creamy tomato soup and slow cooked to perfection.
- Slow Cooker Pasta E Fagioli Soup: Our version of the Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup tastes just like the original. It is an Italian seasoned soup easily made in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Soup: Many agree that this Zuppa Toscana Soup Olive Garden Copycat is actually better than the original! It has a creamy both base and is loaded with sausage and potatoes.
How to Make Crockpot Beef Stew
Crockpot Beef Stew
Crock Pot Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food. Tender chunks of beef with potatoes and carrots in a thick, hearty gravy makes for a nourishing meal any time of year!
Equipment
- Crock Pot (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound chuck roast cut into 1 ½ inch pieces or pre-cut stew meat
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes halved or quartered depending on size
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cans beef broth approximately 40 ounces
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic or red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 Tbsp cold water
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cut roast into 1 ½ inch bite size chunks and place them in a gallon size resealable bag or other airtight container. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Shake bag until the meat is coated with flour.
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottom skillet or pot. Add coated meat and brown each piece on all sides.
- While meat is browning, cut potatoes and carrots and place both in the bottom of a crock pot. When meat is browned, layer the meat on top of the potatoes and carrots and leave remaining juices in the skillet.
- Return the skillet to the stovetop and add butter. Melt the butter on medium-high heat, then saute onions and garlic. Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. In a small cup, combine cornstarch and cold water. Mix until smooth then add to the liquid mixture in the skillet. This will thicken the liquid. Pour all the contents of the skillet over the meat and vegetables in the crock pot. Add thyme, parsley flakes, and bay leaves.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for approximately 4 hours. 30 minutes before serving check the taste of the broth and add salt, pepper, or seasonings as needed. Allow to cook for another 30 minutes after adding seasonings.
- Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Video
Notes
- What makes this beef so tender and juicy is how long it simmers in the Crockpot. Low and slow is best for this type of recipe, because you can use any type of stew beef and it will become fall apart tender.
- Be sure to brown your stew meat before throwing it in the slow cooker. Searing the meat on all sides ensures the juices stay locked in the meat during cooking.
- I like to cut the vegetables into fairly large chunks so they don’t get soggy while cooking. You can always chop them into smaller bite size pieces later on.
- Try different seasonings to suit your taste. You’ll want to taste test the stew about 30 minutes before serving and add more salt, pepper or seasonings as needed.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 18gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 1159mgPotassium: 979mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 6610IUVitamin C: 16.7mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 6.2mg
I made it last night, and wow, the flavor was supper great. The meat was fork tender. I used balsamic vinegar in place of red wine vinegar, I cooked it on the low setting for 7 hours. For the taste before serving I added more salt and pepper and more balsamic vinegar. This is definitely on my favorite list.
So glad you liked it Dale! Thanks for the kind comment!
loved it, third thyme making it! 😉
Incredibly delicious! Not like any beef stew I’ve ever made but definitely on my GoTo list!
I just love this. Would love to make some of them.
This is by far my favorite stew!! My mom would make it all the time. It brings so much comfort. Everything is so tender, they just melt in your mouth!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
I love that this is made in the crockpot. You can throw everything and go about your day. Then Viola….dinner is done! Super hearty and filling too!
Hi, could this be made on the stove, if so, what would be the directions pls. Thank you
You can follow the instructions as written, but replace “crock pot” with “large stock pot” and instead of cooking it for 7-8 hours, you can let it simmer on the stove for 1-2 hours. Hope this helps!
I found this recipe last year and it’s my husband’s new favorite! I add cut green beans, diced celery and diced tomatoes to add some extra flavor. I refer to my creation as a “stoup” = stew + soup, because I make the broth a little thicker, but all meat and veggies are cut up “bite size”. No particular reason other than that’s the way I like it. I also have learned to cook the onions with the tomato paste, which gives it a really nice flavor. Love this recipe, and hope these tips help. 😀
I just made this for dinner! Delicious! I plan on making it again. This was my first time making this recipe and it was simple and the whole house smelled great! I also made the Irish Soda Bread that’s on this Food website to compliment my Irish stew, wow, it was fantastic and easy to make too.
This is in my favorite recipes! Perfect for a chilly rainy day!😋👍
Thanks for sharing the Irish beef stew its one of my favourites and I like to add my dinner menu for an upcoming family event hope everyone likes and enjoy this meal.
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Absolutely delicious! Friends and family first request, always! Thank you for sharing this recipe!