This Best Ever Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food, made with tender chunks of beef, hearty vegetables, and a deeply flavorful broth that slowly simmers to perfection. Cooked low and slow, this classic stew delivers melt-in-your-mouth beef and rich, savory flavors that make it perfect for cozy dinners, meal prep, or cold-weather meals.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This beef stew recipe is incredibly satisfying, easy to prepare, and perfect for busy days thanks to the slow cooker. The beef becomes fork-tender, the vegetables soak up all the savory flavors, and the broth is rich without being heavy. It’s a timeless, family-friendly recipe that tastes even better the next day.
Best Ever Beef Stew Recipe
A truly great beef stew is more than just meat and vegetables simmered together—it’s about building deep, comforting flavors that warm you from the inside out. This Best Ever Beef Stew recipe delivers exactly that with minimal effort and maximum reward.
Slow cooker beef stew is a staple in many homes because it transforms simple ingredients into a rich, hearty meal with very little hands-on cooking. As the stew cooks low and slow, the beef becomes tender while the vegetables absorb the savory broth.
What makes this recipe stand out is the combination of properly browned beef, aromatic onions, and a deeply flavorful broth enhanced with beef demi-glace or concentrated beef seasoning. These steps create layers of flavor that elevate a classic stew.
The potatoes, carrots, and celery add natural sweetness and texture, making each bite balanced and satisfying. Red-skinned potatoes hold their shape beautifully, ensuring the stew remains hearty rather than mushy.
This recipe is ideal for cold evenings, family dinners, or meal prep for the week ahead. It’s filling, nourishing, and tastes just as good—if not better—the next day.
Because it’s made in a slow cooker, this beef stew is perfect for busy schedules. Simply prepare the ingredients, let it cook, and come home to a ready-made, comforting meal.
The broth is rich and savory without being overly thick, making it perfect for serving on its own or with crusty bread or rice. Every spoonful feels warm and satisfying.
This stew is also highly adaptable. You can add extra vegetables, adjust seasoning levels, or thicken the broth slightly depending on your preference.
It’s a recipe that works equally well for casual weeknight dinners or cozy weekend meals shared with loved ones.
If you’re looking for a reliable, deeply flavorful slow cooker beef stew that never disappoints, this recipe is one you’ll come back to again and again.
Servings & Time
Servings: 6–8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours (low)
Total Time: About 8 hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
-
2 pounds beef stew meat
-
½ cup all-purpose flour
-
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
-
2 tablespoons olive oil
-
½ teaspoon black pepper
-
1 large onion, diced
-
2 bay leaves
-
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
-
2 cups water
-
2 heaping teaspoons beef demi-glace
(or beef Swanson Flavor Boost or Better Than Bouillon) -
4 medium to large red-skinned potatoes, washed and diced
-
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
-
1 stalk celery, diced
Instructions
-
Place beef stew meat, flour, and seasoning salt into a resealable plastic bag. Shake until the beef is evenly coated.
-
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides.
-
Transfer browned beef to the bottom of a slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Season with black pepper.
-
In the same skillet, sauté diced onion for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer onions to the slow cooker.
-
Add Worcestershire sauce, water, and beef demi-glace to the skillet. Whisk well, scraping the pan to release flavor.
-
Pour the broth mixture into the slow cooker.
-
Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
-
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
-
Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve hot.
Tips
Best Beef
-
Use chuck or labeled stew meat for the most tender results
Flavor Boost
-
Browning the beef first adds deep, rich flavor
Storage
-
Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days
-
Freeze up to 3 months
Serving Ideas
-
Serve with crusty bread, rice, or mashed potatoes
Best Ever Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups water
- 2 heaping teaspoons beef demi-glace
- or beef Swanson Flavor Boost or Better Than Bouillon
- 4 medium to large red-skinned potatoes washed and diced
- 3 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 stalk celery diced
Instructions
- Place beef stew meat, flour, and seasoning salt into a resealable plastic bag. Shake until the beef is evenly coated.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides.
- Transfer browned beef to the bottom of a slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Season with black pepper.
- In the same skillet, sauté diced onion for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer onions to the slow cooker.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, water, and beef demi-glace to the skillet. Whisk well, scraping the pan to release flavor.
- Pour the broth mixture into the slow cooker.
- Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve hot.
Notes
Best Beef
- Use chuck or labeled stew meat for the most tender results
Flavor Boost
- Browning the beef first adds deep, rich flavor
Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days
- Freeze up to 3 months
Serving Ideas
- Serve with crusty bread, rice, or mashed potatoes
