Beef stew has to be one of the most convenient and comforting things to make and eat. Who doesn't love tender, juicy chunks of beef and perfectly cooked potatoes, carrots and onions, all nestled in a rich, flavorful sauce? Pair a bowl with a hot loaf of crusty bread and you have my idea of heaven.
Are you a slow cooker lover? Maybe you grew up with a slow cooker bubbling happily on the counter, or maybe you're a recent slow cooker convert. Either way, I'm pretty sure slow cookers were made for braising meat. They might as well have called them meat kettles, right?
How to do beef stew in a slow cooker
- Launch. Season your meat generously and add flour. The flour will help give body to the stew so that it has just the right amount of thickness, between sauce and sauce.
- Add. Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker: the floured beef, onions, carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, and a few secret ingredients that I'll come back to later in this article.
- Cook. Turn on the slow cooker and run your life. Ten to twelve hours later, your stew will be perfectly cooked and ready to eat!
How long should you cook beef stew in the slow cooker?
- 10-12 hours low
- 4-6 hours until
There is a little wiggle room in preference. If you like your garden, you'll probably need 10 hours. If you want vegetables you can shred, you'll want 12.
Beef stew Ingredients
At its core, the ingredients for beef stew are very simple: herbs, beef, vegetables, broth. Everyone knows and loves beef stew, but this beef stew is especially amazing. This is a version of my all-time favorite stew, Vietnamese bo kho, a super tasty rich and hearty stew.
Bo kho has all your usual beef stew suspects: beef, onions, carrots, and potatoes, but the seasoning is where the fun happens. Lemongrass adds a zippy nuance and star anise, fennel and cinnamon add warmth. It's so good. If you are looking for something super comforting, but different, this beef stew is for you.
What is the best meat for slow cooker beef stew?
The secret to a really good stew is not to buy those pre-cut pieces of "Stew Beef"! Too often, these lumps have no collagen, connective tissue, fat, or flavor. Yes, they are super useful and I have seen them several times, but I have learned from my mistakes. Now I like to buy whole pieces and cut them myself.
For stew, you want cuts of meat that contain plenty of collagen and fat, as well-marbled meat is the key to rich, tender, juicy stews. Cooking low and slow will transform these pieces like magic, melting chunks of deliciousness in your mouth.
Here are some ideal cuts of meat that are best for stewing
- anima – This is probably the most common beef for stewing and the best choice when looking for something relatively inexpensive that has lots of flavor, fat, and connective tissue.
- small rib – We went up in price, which means we went up in flavor. The ribs are very meaty and well speckled. Bonus: short rib is usually cut into nice, neat cubes, if you're into that sort of thing.
Fatty brisket: Brisket is an excellent meat for stewing, especially the fattier side of the - skirt – not having a thin chest. It has a great beef flavor and a lot of fat. Brisket is cheaper than short rib but cheaper than chuck. However, it tends to be a fibrous touch, due to the way the muscles run through it.
- beef legs cut crosswise – these guys are the ones you make osso buco with and have the advantage of having a bone that adds a bee to the bone marrow. You will have to remove the meat from the bones and it will take longer to cook, but they are delicious.
To brown or not to brown
This slow cooker beef stew does not brown. That's right, this is a beef stew without browning. I'm a big fan of dark meat, it adds so much flavor. But sometimes you just want to throw it all in a jar, put it on and forget about it. This is truly one of those super easy recipes where you don't have to brown the meat. Of course, if you want to go one step further, don't hesitate, it will take your stew with it.
To make up for the lack of browning, we're going to amp up the flavors by adding a bunch of forward umami ingredients:
- Tomato paste – this has the advantage of thickening your stew a little and also adding a nice sweet, round note.
- soy sauce – soy sauce helps accentuate the bee character of this beef stew.
- Fish sauce – Fish sauce is the secret ingredient that will add a lot of umami! If you don't have one, you can substitute Worcestershire sauce, which, surprise, surprise, is actually fermented fish sauce!
- Lemongrass – cut a lemongrass stem into 4-inch pieces and bruise it lightly. It will add shine and a lot of flavor to the sauce of this stew.
star anise, fennel, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf – these are warming spices that are optional, but highly recommended. They add nuances of warmth, pepper and sweetness.
What slow cooker to use?
We have the saucepan, containing 2,5 liters. It's so cute and the perfect size for this recipe, but a full-size 7-quart slow cooker will also work.
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Can you make this stew in an Instant Pot if you don't have a slow cooker? Yeah! You can simply use the low slow cooker and follow this recipe in exactly the same way, but you can even pressure cook and it will taste just as good!
To make this slow cooker beef stew in the Instant Pot, add all the ingredients except the carrots and potatoes and cook on high power for 35 minutes. Quick release, then add the potatoes and carrots and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Quick release, stir and enjoy! Click here for more detailed instructions on how to make Instant Pot Beef Stew.
What to serve with beef stew
We love our beef stew with a loaf of crusty bread, but here are some other suggestions too:
- creamy mashed potatoes because beef stew with extra potatoes is so good
- fluffy rice: you haven't lived if you haven't eaten beef stew with rice!
- Homemade Pasta – You took the easy route with slow cooker beef stew, why not make fresh pasta and pour it in?
- garlic bread – in case you are a garlic bread fiend like me
I hope you try this slow-cooked beef stew. It will fill your home with incredible smells and fill you with flavor. May beef stew be in your future!
xoxo steph
beef casserole
Slow Cooker Vietnamese Bo Kho, Super Flavorful, Rich and Hearty Beef Stew.
It serves 4
- 1 kg veal cut into 1 inch cubes, See notes
- 2 soup spoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cloves Garlic slightly crushed
- 1 soup spoon ginger grated
- 1 little onion coarse chopped
- 1-2 potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 the carrots coarse chopped
- 1 soup spoon Tomato paste
- 2 cups Meat broth preferably low sodium
- 1 soup spoon Fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce
- 1 soup spoon soy sauce
- 1 dipstick Lemongrass cut into 4 inch pieces, bruised
Spice packet optional but highly recommended
- 1 All star anise
- 1/4 coffee scoop fennel seeds
- 2 All cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon on branch
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Mix the meat with the flour and season with salt and pepper.
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Add the beef, garlic, ginger, onion, potatoes, carrots, tomato paste, beef broth, fish sauce, and soy sauce to the slow cooker. If the potatoes come out, push them down and add a little more beef broth to make sure they are well covered.
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Optional Spice Packet: Wrap star anise, fennel, cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick in cheesecloth or place in a large tea bag for easy removal later. Add it to the stew.
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Garnish with lemongrass, cover and simmer for 10 to 12 hours on low or high for 4 to 6 hours. Stir occasionally. Remove the lemongrass and spice envelope and enjoy hot!
Nutritional intake
beef casserole
Amount per serving
Calories 310
Calories of fat 72
% Daily value *
Fat 8 g12%
Saturated Fat 2.9g18%
Cholesterol 101 mg34%
Sodium 1058 mg46%
Potassium 952 mg27%
Carbohydrates 18,2 g6%
2,6 g fiber11%
Sugar 3,7g4%
Protein 39,4 g79%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
