Ultimate Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Four Essential Flavors
This robust slow cooker beef stew features tender chuck roast, hearty vegetables, and a rich, savory broth enhanced by four key flavor boosters: tomato paste, Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, and beef base. It’s perfect for a comforting and effortless meal.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Large skillet or Dutch oven
- Slow cooker
Ingredients
Main
- 2-3 pounds Beef Chuck Roast cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Beef Base (or 1 cup beef broth/stock + 1 bouillon cube)
- 1 large Yellow Onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves Garlic minced
- 2-3 medium Carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 stalks Celery cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold or red potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 1-2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1-2 cups Water (adjust based on desired consistency and if using bouillon paste vs. broth)
- Salt to taste (starting with 1 teaspoon for beef dredging)
- Black Pepper to taste (starting with ½ teaspoon for beef dredging)
- Fresh Parsley for garnish (optional)
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Instructions
Main
- Pat the beef dry, then toss with flour, salt, and pepper until coated. Sear the beef in batches in hot olive oil until browned, then transfer to the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, sauté the chopped onion until softened, then add minced garlic and cook for one more minute. Transfer the sautéed aromatics to the slow cooker.
- Add the seared beef, sautéed aromatics, carrots, celery, potatoes, dried thyme, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and beef base.
- Pour in 1 cup of water, or enough to mostly cover the ingredients, then stir gently to combine.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
- Remove bay leaves, taste, and adjust salt and pepper as needed. If desired, thicken the stew by whisking a cornstarch slurry into about a cup of removed liquid and returning it to the slow cooker to cook for another 15-20 minutes.
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Notes
Adjust liquid as needed for desired consistency. If the stew is too thin, it can be thickened with a cornstarch slurry. Do not overcrowd the pan when searing beef to ensure proper browning.