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A classic, cozy slow cooker beef stew featuring tender beef chunks, Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, and peas in a rich broth with red wine, onions, and garlic. Perfect comfort food for fall and winter nights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ pounds stew meat (cut into 1-inch cubes, see notes for best cuts)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • ½ teaspoon celery salt
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 to 6 tablespoons olive oil (for searing)
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter, divided (1 tablespoon for onions, 2 tablespoons at end)
  • 2 cups diced yellow onions
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup cabernet sauvignon or merlot (red wine)
  • 4 cups rich beef broth
  • 2 beef bouillon cubes
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved or quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
  • 2–3 drops Gravy Master (optional, for color)

Instructions

  1. Trim any large fat from the stew meat and cut beef into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Season beef with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt; toss to coat gently.
  3. Sprinkle flour over beef and toss to lightly dust each piece.
  4. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  5. Sear beef in batches, browning about 45 seconds per side; transfer browned beef to slow cooker as you go.
  6. Reduce skillet heat to medium and melt 1 tablespoon cold butter.
  7. Add diced onions to skillet and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  8. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  9. Splash in 1 cup red wine and scrape pan to deglaze, lifting browned bits.
  10. Transfer onion-garlic-wine mixture to slow cooker.
  11. Add remaining ingredients (beef broth, bouillon cubes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, rosemary) to slow cooker. Leave out frozen peas, cornstarch slurry, and final 2 tablespoons cold butter.
  12. Cook on low for 7½ to 8 hours or high for 3½ to 4 hours until carrots are fork-tender and potatoes easily pierced.
  13. About 15 minutes before end of cooking, stir in frozen peas.
  14. Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig from stew.
  15. For thicker stew, whisk cold water with cornstarch to make slurry, slowly stir into stew, and let rest until thickened.
  16. Turn off slow cooker and whisk in 2 tablespoons cold butter until broth is silky. Optionally add a few drops of Gravy Master for deeper color.

Notes

Searing beef adds depth of flavor but can be skipped if short on time; stew will still be tasty., Avoid overhandling seasoned beef to preserve tenderness., Cold butter added at the end creates a silky, rich broth finish., Optional veggie variations: celery, green beans, parsnips, sweet potatoes for extra nutrition and flavor., For wine substitution: use equal parts beef broth or red grape juice plus 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar., For Irish twist: substitute red wine with 1 cup Guinness extra stout., Store leftovers in airtight containers in fridge for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months., Reheats well and flavors develop after resting overnight.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gingerbaking.com/slow-cooker-beef-stew/