Try this Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 potatoes, diced
- 4 carrots, sliced
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- Carbohydrate 9.92766633600569 g
- Cholesterol 99.7903214 mg
- Fat 26.138675762898 g
- Fiber 0.522438895398085 g
- Protein 29.2940499062788 g
- Saturated Fat 10.5082662001492 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (201g)
- Sodium 266.638358366958 mg
- Sugar 9.40522744060761 g
- Trans Fat 3.34453541213489 g
- Calories 399 calories
Step-by-step
- Place meat in slow cooker.
- In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture.
- Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
- Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.
Coating cubed chuck in dry flour before it meets the liquid thickens the resulting broth through gelatinization without requiring a separate roux step. Tossing the meat thoroughly ensures every piece carries an even coating of starch, which hydrates gradually as the slow cooker reaches simmering temperature. When adapting quantities for different serving sizes, maintain a strict ratio of one and a half cups of beef broth per two pounds of beef to prevent a watery consistency. Exceeding this liquid threshold dilutes the starches released by the flour and vegetables.
Adapting Batch Sizes for Equipment Limits
Scaling this formulation requires respecting the thermal dynamics of your appliance. Fill your slow cooker between half and three-quarters full for optimal heat retention and moisture cycling. Overfilling blocks proper steam circulation, while underfilling causes rapid liquid evaporation and scorched edges. If you reduce the recipe by half, monitor the cooking progress an hour earlier than standard guidelines suggest. Conversely, doubling the ingredients demands a larger six-quart vessel to accommodate the extended thermal mass safely.
- Stir every two hours if operating on the high temperature setting to prevent edge scorching.
- Store leftovers in airtight glass containers for up to four days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat portions gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until the center registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Substitute chuck roast with shoulder cut if preferred for uniform marbling distribution.
