Slow Cooked Beef Stew
Low and slow is the name of the game for this simple, but tasty, beef stew.
Load up your slow cooker with your favourite casserole beef such as chuck or blade, then kick back and let your crock pot handle the heavy lifting. Almost everything you need for this recipe can be found in your pantry, so this is perfect for throwing on the morning of a busy day.
This recipe is also featured in our Beef Recipe Collection.
Ingredients
Method
- 400g beef, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 mushrooms, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- 1 tin tomatoes
Ingredients for side dishes
- 4 potatoes
- 1 broccoli
- Place ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for 5-6 hours on low; until the meat is easily falling apart.
- If there is quite a bit of liquid, thicken with 2 Tbsp flour mixed with a small amount of water and stir through, cook on high for 10-15 mins to thicken up. Add more flour/water mix if needed.
- Season your beef stew to taste and serve with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.
Tips:
- To make prep this meal in advance, place all the ingredients in a snaplock bag and freeze. Then simply remove from the freezer the night before you want to cook it so it defrosts overnight.
- Your slow cooker is your best friend when it comes to saving money on dinner! Cheaper cuts of meat can be slowly transformed into tender, melt-in-the-mouth chunks and you hardly have to do anything.
FAQs:
- How often should I stir stew in the slow cooker?
Due to the nature of a slow cooker, there is no need to stir the food unless it specifically says so in the recipe. This is because each time you remove the lid to stir you lose significant amounts of heat, which can increase cooking time.
- What is the secret to tender beef stew?
The most important key to making stew meat tender is being sure to cook it for a long time. Cooking it too quickly can result in chewy beef.
- Why is my stew meat tough in the slow cooker?
It's likely because you haven't let the collagen break down. Extend the cook time, make sure there's enough liquid, and keep an eye on the dish.