Crockpot Beef Stew

Crockpot beef stew is the kind of dinner that does all its work while you’re doing something else. A little prep in the morning, eight hours on low, and by evening you have chunks of beef that fall apart under a spoon, soft potatoes and carrots, and a gravy thick enough to coat the back of it.

This is the classic version. No red wine, no onion soup packet, no canned soup. The beef gets tossed in flour and browned before it goes in the pot, and that flour does double duty: it builds a deep, browned crust, then it slowly thickens the broth into gravy while the stew cooks. Tomato paste and Worcestershire round out the flavor, and a handful of peas goes in at the very end so they stay bright green.

The best beef for stew

Browned flour-coated beef cubes with potatoes, carrots, celery and bay leaves in broth in a slow cooker before cooking

Buy a chuck roast and cut it yourself. Chuck is the go-to cut for any slow-cooked beef: it is well marbled and full of connective tissue, which melts over a long cook and keeps the meat moist.

Packages labeled “stew meat” are often a mix of trimmings from different cuts, some lean and some fatty, cut into uneven pieces. The lean pieces dry out long before the fatty ones get tender. Cutting a 2 1/2 pound chuck roast into 1 1/2 inch cubes takes about ten minutes and gives you pieces that all cook the same.

Keep the cubes on the big side. Small pieces shrink and can turn stringy over eight hours.

Can you put raw beef in a slow cooker for stew?

Yes. Raw beef cooks safely in a slow cooker, as long as it is fully thawed first. Browning it isn’t required for safety, only for flavor.

That said, browning is the step that makes beef stew taste like beef stew. The browned crust and the bits left in the skillet are where most of the rich, roasted flavor comes from. If you’re short on time, see the no-sear note in the recipe card. The stew will still be tender, just a little milder.

What liquid is best for beef stew?

Beef broth. Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt, since the liquid reduces a little over the long cook. A spoonful of tomato paste and a tablespoon of Worcestershire add depth that broth alone doesn’t have, and they do the job many recipes give to red wine.

Use about 3 cups for a 6 quart slow cooker. The vegetables should be mostly covered, but the stew shouldn’t be swimming. The beef and vegetables release their own juices as they cook, and too much liquid gives you thin gravy.

Common mistakes with crockpot stew

Crowding the pan when browning. Too many pieces at once and the beef steams gray instead of browning. Work in two batches.
Cutting the vegetables too small. Potatoes in 1 1/2 inch chunks and carrots in thick rounds hold their shape. Small pieces turn to mush by dinner.
Adding the peas at the start. Eight hours turns them olive drab and soft. Stir them in for the last 15 minutes.
Lifting the lid. Every peek lets out heat and adds time to the cook.
Pulling it too early. If the beef is still chewy, it isn’t overcooked, it’s undercooked. Chuck needs time for the connective tissue to break down. Give it another hour.

What’s the secret to a good beef stew?

There isn’t one big secret, just a few small habits that add up: dry the beef well, brown it hard, scrape every browned bit out of the skillet, and season again at the end. Taste the gravy right before serving and add salt a pinch at a time. Long-cooked stews almost always need a little more than you think.

Questions people ask

Should I cook beef stew on high or low?
Low, if you can. Eight to nine hours on low gives the most tender beef. Four to five hours on high works, but the meat can be a little firmer.

Can I put frozen beef in the slow cooker?
No. Thaw it in the fridge first. The USDA advises against slow cooking frozen meat, because it stays too long in the unsafe temperature range while it warms up.

How do I make the gravy thicker?
The flour on the beef thickens it on its own. For an even thicker stew, stir 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir it in with the peas, then cook on high for 15 minutes with the lid off.

How long does beef stew keep?
Three to four days in a covered container in the fridge. It freezes for 2 to 3 months, though the potatoes turn a little grainy after freezing. Many people think it tastes even better the next day.

More recipes you’ll love: Crockpot Chuck Roast, Crockpot Beef Tips and Gravy, Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup, and our full Easy Crockpot Dinner Recipes roundup.