Busy Day Beef Stew
Here's a classic old-fashioned beef stew that simmers for hours in the slow cooker. I call it my lazy stew because it's so easy to make on busy days. Perfect for hearty appetites, it's guaranteed to keep folks coming back for more!
Here's a classic old-fashioned beef stew that simmers for hours in the slow cooker. I call it my lazy stew because it's so easy to make on busy days. Perfect for hearty appetites, it's guaranteed to keep folks coming back for more!
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- 1 envelope onion soup mix
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 tablespoons cold water
- 1 boneless beef chuck roast
- 2 teaspoons browning sauce optional
- 2 cups potatoes cubed & peeled
- 8 medium carrots cut into chunks
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed, optional
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- Carbohydrate 24.9788586508183 g
- Cholesterol 120.771 mg
- Fat 33.42992792468 g
- Fiber 4.23957589537717 g
- Protein 32.4314758052913 g
- Saturated Fat 13.3764229727565 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - (513g)
- Sodium 593.478222762142 mg
- Sugar 20.7392827554411 g
- Trans Fat 4.10298917467949 g
- Calories 533 calories
Step-by-step
- Place roast in a 5-qt. slow cooker; sprinkle with soup mix, browning sauce if desired, salt and pepper. Pour water over meat. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender.
- Remove roast to a cutting board; let stand for 5 minutes. Add vegetables to slow cooker. Cube beef and return to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 1-1/2 hours or until vegetables are tender.
- Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into stew. Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes or until thickened.
Swapping the boneless chuck roast for a lean round roast alters the final texture entirely, as leaner cuts lack the internal collagen required to yield a moist, shreddable result after ten hours of gentle heat. When testing this method, the initial ten-hour low cycle on a five-quart slow cooker successfully breaks down the connective tissue of the chuck cut, but introducing hard root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at that exact opening stage turns them into a pureed slurry by the time the meat finishes. Following the strict instruction to remove the meat, cook the vegetables separately for ninety minutes, and only then return cubed beef prevents the carrots from disintegrating into tasteless mush while ensuring the root vegetables absorb the savory simmering liquid. Resting the cooked roast on a cutting board for precisely five minutes allows the internal muscle fibers to relax just enough to retain their moisture before cubing, rather than releasing all their juices onto the board prematurely.
Thickening the liquid requires a slurry made from five tablespoons of cornstarch whisked thoroughly with six tablespoons of cold water until completely smooth, because dumping dry starch directly into hot broth creates stubborn, gelatinous lumps that refuse to incorporate. Once stirred in, the stew must cover and cook on high for thirty to forty-five minutes to eliminate the raw starch taste and achieve a glossy, clinging consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Storing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days works well, though freezing with potatoes present can result in a spongy, undesirable texture once thawed because the starch cells rupture during freezing temperatures.
