Classic Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 2 lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-in. cubes
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 lb. (about 3 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-in. pieces (5 cups)
• 1 large (12 oz.) yellow onion, coarsely chopped (3 cups)
• 4 medium (4 oz. each) carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-in.-thick rounds (3 cups)
• 1 medium (7 oz.) turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. cubes (1 cup)
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Prepare beef:
   Place beef, flour, tomato paste, salt, garlic powder, mustard, and Italian seasoning in a 6-quart slow cooker; toss to evenly coat beef.
2. Add ingredients to slow cooker:
   Add potatoes, onion, carrots, turnip, beef broth, Worcestershire, and vinegar; stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW until beef is very tender, 6 to 8 hours.
3. Finish with butter and parsley:
4. Season to taste with salt. Stir in butter and parsley until butter is melted. Serve.

Slow-Cooker Beef Stew Variations

While this stew already contains a balanced variety of flavors and textures, here are some ideas if you want to change things up: 

• Mix up the potatoes: A combination of Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes can add extra flavor and richness to the stew.
• Garlic: Up the ante with minced fresh garlic in the place of garlic powder.
• Mushrooms: Add mushrooms for an earthy flavor and extra depth.
• Celery: Add celery for a classic mirepoix.
• Peas: Add frozen peas at the end of cooking for a pop of color and additional sweetness.
• Herbs: Add bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, or other herbs to enhance the flavors of the stew.
• Heat: Add crushed red pepper flakes or serve with hot sauce for a spicy touch.
• Bacon: For a salty, smoky touch, add crumbled bacon as a garnish or at the end of cooking.
• Thicken as desired: For a thicker consistency, add a cornstarch slurry toward the end of cooking.

Credit:

By Southern Living Test Kitchen

The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama.

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Updated on March 20, 2024