Description
Hearty slow cooker beef stew brings comfort from classic American kitchens to your dining table. Rich beef and tender vegetables simmer gently, creating a warming meal you’ll savor with deep satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 grams) beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 medium potatoes, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups (946 milliliters) beef broth
- 2 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsps olive oil (for searing)
- 2 tbsps cornstarch + 2 tbsps water (for thickening, optional)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Dust beef cubes thoroughly with seasoned flour mixture, ensuring comprehensive coverage for optimal flavor and texture development.
- Searing Stage: Heat olive oil in skillet and caramelize floured beef cubes, creating a robust golden crust that locks in succulent juices and intensifies meat’s natural flavors.
- Vegetable Integration: Layer seared beef with chopped carrots, potatoes, onions, and minced garlic in slow cooker, establishing a hearty foundation for the stew’s complex flavor profile.
- Flavor Amplification: Incorporate tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary, introducing deep umami notes and aromatic herbaceous undertones to the developing dish.
- Liquid Infusion: Pour beef broth over ingredients, nestling a bay leaf within the mixture to gradually release its subtle nuanced essence throughout cooking process.
- Slow Cooking Transformation: Program slow cooker to low temperature setting for 7-8 hours, allowing meat fibers to gradually break down into tender, melt-in-your-mouth morsels while vegetables absorb surrounding flavors.
- Consistency Refinement: During final cooking hour, whisk cornstarch with water and gently fold into stew, creating a silky, luxurious sauce that coats each ingredient beautifully.
- Final Flourish: Introduce green peas for vibrant color and fresh flavor contrast, remove bay leaf, and garnish with freshly chopped parsley to elevate the dish’s visual and gustatory appeal.
- Serving Suggestion: Present steaming hot stew accompanied by crusty artisan bread, perfect for absorbing the rich, deeply developed sauce and completing this comforting culinary experience.
Notes
- Flour Coating Technique: Ensure beef cubes are uniformly dusted to create an even, crispy exterior that locks in moisture and enhances overall flavor profile.
- Searing Secrets: Use high heat and avoid overcrowding the pan to achieve deep golden-brown caramelization, which builds complex flavor foundations for the stew.
- Vegetable Selection Strategy: Cut root vegetables into consistent, chunky sizes to guarantee even cooking and prevent mushy texture during long slow-cooking process.
- Thickening Wisdom: Add cornstarch slurry gradually and stir gently to prevent lumps, creating a silky smooth sauce without compromising the stew’s rich, robust consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 335
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 703 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg