Slow Cooker Beef with Vegetables (Printable)
Tender beef and root vegetables slowly simmered in rich, savory broth for a hearty, comforting meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 1 large onion, chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup frozen peas
→ Liquids
08 - 4 cups beef broth
09 - 1/2 cup dry red wine
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
→ Spices & Seasonings
12 - 2 tsp salt
13 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
16 - 2 bay leaves
→ For thickening
17 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
18 - 2 tbsp cold water
# Steps:
01 - Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, developing a rich crust on all sides. Transfer browned meat to the slow cooker.
03 - Add carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker with the beef.
04 - Whisk together beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary until well combined.
05 - Pour the broth mixture over the meat and vegetables. Add bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or on high for 4–5 hours, until beef and vegetables are tender.
06 - Discard the bay leaves from the stew.
07 - Mix cornstarch and cold water to form a smooth slurry. Stir into the stew, add frozen peas, and cook on high for 15–20 minutes until thickened and peas are heated through.
08 - Taste the stew and adjust salt and pepper as needed before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It is practically a set it and forget it meal that yields restaurant quality flavor with almost zero effort.
- The meat becomes impossibly tender without any fancy techniques or constant monitoring.
02 -
- Skipping the searing step saves time but you will sacrifice a layer of deep savory complexity in the broth.
- I learned that adding the peas too early turns them into mushy little green specks so wait until the very end.
03 -
- Browning the meat in batches rather than all at once ensures you get that nice caramelization on every cube.
- Letting the stew rest for ten minutes after the final cook helps the sauce thicken up even more.