Beef Stew
A rich, slow-cooked comfort dish featuring tender beef chuck, fork-ready potatoes, and a savory broth, perfect for chilly nights.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces Use well-marbled chuck for best tenderness.
- 4 cups beef broth Low-sodium if watching salt.
- 3 medium potatoes, diced Yukon Gold or russet work well.
- 2 medium carrots, sliced About 1 cup.
- 1 medium onion, chopped Yellow or sweet.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt Adjust to taste.
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Preparation
- Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add beef pieces in a single layer and brown on all sides, working in batches.
- Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
- Add diced potatoes, sliced carrots, chopped onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, dried thyme, remaining salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Pour 4 cups of beef broth over everything, ensuring ingredients are mostly submerged.
Cooking
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
- Just before serving, stir the stew, taste for seasoning, and adjust salt or pepper as needed.
Notes
For a thicker gravy, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir it into the stew during the last 15–20 minutes of cooking.