Slow Cooker Beef Stew
A flavorful slow-cooked beef stew made with potatoes, carrots, celery, stock, herbs, and spices.
A flavorful slow-cooked beef stew made with potatoes, carrots, celery, stock, herbs, and spices.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 onion, chopped
- 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 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 potatoes, diced
- 4 carrots, sliced
- Carbohydrate 9.70712958600568 g
- Cholesterol 99.7903214 mg
- Fat 26.1140834295646 g
- Fiber 0.445073064309066 g
- Protein 29.2716638229455 g
- Saturated Fat 10.5015592001492 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (200g)
- Sodium 266.570700033625 mg
- Sugar 9.26205652169662 g
- Trans Fat 3.33821082880156 g
- Calories 398 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.
Long before electric countertop appliances existed, tough cuts of beef simmered for hours in heavy iron pots over hearth fires to break down connective tissue. This specific formulation of root vegetables, aromatics, and beef relies on low-temperature collagen conversion rather than high heat, which would otherwise seize muscle fibers and yield rubbery results. Skeptics often doubt whether raw flour can thicken a long-simmering liquid without forming lumps, but coating the meat cubes directly before adding moisture ensures a smooth consistency as starches hydrate.
- Cut chuck or stewing meat into uniform one-inch cubes so heat penetrates the center of every piece at an equal rate.
- Sear the flour-coated meat in a skillet for three minutes per side before transferring to the ceramic insert to build deeper Maillard flavors.
- Keep the appliance lid tightly sealed during the initial eight hours to maintain a steady internal environment of approximately 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container within the refrigerator for up to four days, or freeze for three months.
Proper sequencing prevents the potatoes from dissolving into mush before the tough proteins fully tenderize. Traditional braising principles apply directly here, demanding patience over intensity.
