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Crock Pot Beef Stew

Crock Pot beef stew with fall-apart beef, tender potatoes, and thick mahogany broth made from slow-cooked beef stock, tomatoes, and red wine. Finished with a cornstarch slurry for a hearty, spoon-coating texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and aromatics
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck Cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
  • 1 lb baby potatoes Halved.
  • 3 carrots Cut into thick rounds.
  • 3 celery Sliced.
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
Stew base
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup red wine Or use extra broth.
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves The recipe uses 2 bay leaves.
Thickener and seasoning
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp water Mix with cornstarch to make a slurry.
  • 0.5 salt To taste.
  • 0.5 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and layer
  1. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, then set it aside. The coating should be visible on all sides.
  2. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion to the bottom of the Crockpot. Spread into an even layer so the vegetables cook through.
  3. Nestle the seasoned beef on top of the vegetables. Try to keep the beef in a single layer rather than piled into a mound.
Add liquids and seasonings
  1. Add the minced garlic, beef broth, red wine, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour in slowly so the tomato paste loosens a bit.
  2. Stir in the dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves. Distribute herbs evenly so they permeate the broth.
Slow cook to tender
  1. Cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender. The stew should bubble gently and the beef should break easily with a fork.
Thicken and finish
  1. Remove the bay leaves. Stir after removing so the aromatics don’t linger in the final serving.
  2. Stir the cornstarch and water together until smooth, then pour the slurry into the Crockpot while stirring. Look for no lumps before it fully disperses.
  3. Cook on High for 20 to 30 minutes until the broth thickens. The surface should look slightly glossy and the vegetables should be coated with sauce.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust gradually and stir until the flavor balances.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t skip the bay leaves in the slow-cook—remove them right before thickening for a clean herb flavor. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lighter option, use low-sodium broth and replace part of the beef with leaner chuck or brisket, keeping the same thickening step.