A hearty, nutritious beef stew loaded with tender beef, potatoes, carrots, and celery in a rich, savory gravy. Perfect for a cozy dinner with plenty of leftovers!
Prep Time: 20–25 minutes
Cook Time: 7–8 hours
Servings: 6–8
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into chunks
- 4 medium potatoes, cubed
- 4 large carrots, chopped
- 3 large celery stalks, chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 large bay leaves
- 2 tbsp beef tallow
For Thickening the Gravy
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
1. Wash, peel (if desired), and chop your potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Add everything to your slow cooker.
2. Pat your beef stew meat dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of beef tallow in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until nicely browned. You don't need to cook it all the way through.
3. Transfer your browned beef into the slow cooker with the vegetables.
4. Pour in the beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Add your salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Give everything a stir to combine.
5. Slow cook. Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or until the beef is fork-tender.
6. Thicken the gravy. About 20–30 minutes before serving, whisk together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth. Stir the slurry into the hot stew, cover, and continue cooking until the gravy thickens.
7. Remove the bay leaves, taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve warm with homemade sourdough bread!
Tip: I prefer a thick, hearty beef stew rather than a soupy one, so I start with 3 cups of beef broth. You can always add a little more if needed. You may also skip adding the slurry. Browning the beef in tallow before slow cooking adds so much flavor, so don't skip that step!