Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow cooker beef stew recipe

If you grew up in Australia, chances are that beef stew was on high rotation for your family dinners. What makes beef stew such a family staple is the one-pot nature of the recipe, reducing the washing up you have to do, and the fact that it provides everyone with the protein and vegetables they need in one dish. The experience of eating the rich, gelatinous gravy also changes depending on what you pair it with – pasta, rice, polenta, bread, corn bread, noodles or couscous. The list goes on! Beef stew is traditionally cooked in a pot on a stovetop. It is cooked long and slow in a process known as slow cooking, which is the technique best suited for cooking tougher cuts of meat. The most convenient way to do this is to use a slow cooker to make your beef stew, like in this set-and-forget slow cooker beef stew recipe.

Things to note when following a beef stew slow cooker

Beef stew that’s cooked in a slow cooker needs less liquid to cook than the conventional version. This is because the lid stays closed throughout the cooking process and prevents any evaporation. A general guide is to add just enough liquid to the slow cooker to cover the solid ingredients. For tender beef, it doesn’t matter whether you use the low heat setting or the high heat setting on your slow cooker – either 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low will give you the same results, so choose whichever is most convenient for you. If you’re making this beef stew ahead, remove it from the slow cooker once cooked to quickly cool it to room temperature before storing in the fridge.

Choosing the cut of meat for this beef stew recipe slow cooker recipe

The best cuts of meat for slow cooker beef stew recipes are chuck steak (which is from the front shoulder), gravy beef (also known as beef shin) and beef cheeks. These tougher cuts of meat have more connective tissue than tender cuts like ribeye or tenderloin. It is precisely this characteristic that allows the tougher cuts to become fall-apart-in-the-mouth tender when cooked slowly for a long time. Why? The connective tissue in these cuts are rich in collagen, which melt and become gelatinous when slow-cooked. The gelatin that is released also makes the stew gravy more viscous and rich, which is a bonus.

How to elevate any beef stew slow cooker recipe

Although it is a one-pot recipe, extra care when handling the ingredients goes a long way and takes your beef stew from average to outstanding. After choosing the cut of meat, slice it into equal sized pieces and sear these on all sides in a pan first. This caramelises the meat, adding colour and flavour. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. After you’ve done this, remember to deglaze the pan. Pour a liquid like water, wine or juice into the pan to help release the brown bits of meat and drippings that are stuck on the bottom. Flavour must not be wasted! Finally, you can build more flavour by roasting the garlic or caramelising the onions before adding it to the slow cooker. Although there are dried herbs already in the stew, don’t forget to choose some fresh herbs, like dill, parsley and rosemary, to garnish the finished product. Any dry red wine is ideal for cooking beef and varieties that go well with beef include cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, merlot and malbec. You could also use a lighter red such as pinot noir or an Italian variety such as sangiovese. Wine gives the stew a richer flavour, but if you don’t want to add alcohol, replace it with beef or chicken stock.

Love this recipe?

Bring back the classic family meal with this best slow cooker beef stew recipe, following the tips above to nail it every time. Want slow cooked beef dishes that are guaranteed crowd-pleasers? How about slow cooker beef and rice hot pot, slow cooker sticky beef with mushrooms or slow cooker beef stroganoff.