Description
A hearty and flavorful slow cooker beef stew made with tender seasoned beef, fresh vegetables, red wine, and herbs, slow-cooked to perfect tenderness and finished with a velvety butter swirl for a rich texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 2 ½ pounds stew meat
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ cup flour
Cooking Fats and Aromatics
- 3-6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons cold butter, divided
- 2 cups yellow onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Flavoring
- 1 cup cabernet sauvignon or merlot wine
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
Vegetables and Herbs
- 5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 lb. baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 cup frozen peas
Thickening and Finishing
- ¼ cup cold water
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 2-3 drops Gravy Master (optional, for color)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: Cut the stew meat into 1-inch cubes, trimming off any large fat pieces while leaving marbled fat intact for flavor. Season the beef evenly with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt, then sprinkle the flour over the meat and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Sear the Beef: Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the beef cubes on each side for about 45 seconds. Add more oil if necessary. Once browned, transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Reduce skillet heat to medium, melt 1 tablespoon of butter, then add diced onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Pour in a splash of wine and scrape the browned bits off the skillet bottom with a silicone spatula to capture extra flavor. Transfer this mixture along with the remaining wine into the slow cooker.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Into the slow cooker, add beef broth, bouillon cubes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary sprig. Do not add peas, corn starch, or the remaining butter at this stage.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until vegetables are tender and potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Add Peas: Stir in the frozen peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig before serving.
- Optional Thickening: To thicken the stew, mix ¼ cup cold water with 3 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth. Slowly stir this mixture into the stew and allow it to thicken as it stands.
- Finish: Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter to create a smooth, velvety texture, a chef technique called Montage au Beurre. Optionally, add 2-3 drops of Gravy Master for a richer color.
Notes
- Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Best beef cuts for stew include chuck roasts, rump roasts, and bottom rounds for tenderness and flavor.
- For a red wine substitute, use equal parts beef broth or red grape juice combined with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar to maintain acidity and tenderization.
- For an Irish variation, substitute the wine with 1 cup of extra stout Guinness.
- If cooking on the stovetop, after searing meat, reduce ½ cup wine to half over medium heat, then simmer stew covered on low for 1-2 hours until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
