Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Red Wine

Name: Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Red Wine
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 h 28 min
Total time: 8 h 48 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of large fat pieces, cut into 1½-inch cubes and patted very dry; 2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste at the end; 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, or another neutral oil; 1 large (about 8 oz) (225 g) large yellow onion, cut into ½-inch dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine; 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth; 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 4 sprigs (4 g) fresh thyme sprigs, whole; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 1 lb (454 g) carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, cut into 1½-inch chunks; 1 cup (140 g) frozen peas, no need to thaw (optional); 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Seared beef chuck, Yukon gold potatoes and sweet carrots simmer all day in a red wine and beef broth gravy until fork-tender. A few minutes of browning up front builds deep flavor, and the slow cooker does the rest.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 8 hr 28 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 8 hr 58 min
Makes: About 10 cups (6 hearty servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of large fat pieces, cut into 1½-inch cubes and patted very dry
2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste at the end
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, or another neutral oil
1 large (about 8 oz) (225 g) large yellow onion, cut into ½-inch dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
4 sprigs (4 g) fresh thyme sprigs, whole
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
1 lb (454 g) carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, cut into 1½-inch chunks
1 cup (140 g) frozen peas, no need to thaw (optional)
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Equipment (6)

6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker
12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet or Dutch oven
Large mixing bowl
Chef's knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Plan on 8 hours on LOW (or 5 hours on HIGH) of slow cooking, plus about 40 minutes of hands-on work at the start and end.
Use a 6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker. A smaller one will be too full for the amounts below.
Pat the beef very dry with paper towels so it browns instead of steaming.
Choose a dry red wine you would happily drink, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Côtes du Rhône.

1
Season and flour beef
- Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, toss the cubes with the kosher salt, black pepper and flour until every piece is lightly coated with no wet flour clumps.
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Ready when: Beef looks evenly dusted and dry on the surface.
Tip: Wet meat will not brown. Dry it thoroughly before adding the flour.
2
Sear beef in batches
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Add half the beef in a single layer with space between the cubes.
- Sear without moving for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn and sear the other sides for another 2 to 3 minutes total.
- Move the beef to the slow cooker and repeat with the remaining beef.
- Leave the browned bits and any oil in the skillet.
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Ready when: Beef is deeply browned on most sides and releases easily from the pan. It does not need to be cooked through.
Tip: Crowding the pan makes the beef steam and turn grey. Two batches is worth it.
3
Cook aromatics and deglaze
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until the paste darkens to a brick red.
- Pour in the red wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Simmer for 2 minutes, until the sharp wine smell mellows and the liquid reduces slightly.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, paste is darkened, and the pan bottom is clean of browned bits.
Tip: The browned bits in the pan carry most of the stew's savory flavor, so don't skip scraping them up.
4
Load slow cooker
- Scrape the onion and wine mixture into the slow cooker over the beef.
- Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, then the carrots and potatoes.
- Tuck in the thyme sprigs and bay leaves and stir gently so everything is mostly submerged.
- The vegetables may poke above the liquid at first, which is fine.
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Tip: Cut the potatoes and carrots at least 1 inch so they hold their shape through the long cook.
5
Slow cook until tender
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or on HIGH for 5 hours).
- Keep the lid closed during cooking, because every peek adds 15 to 20 minutes.
- The stew is ready when a beef cube shreds easily when pressed with a fork and the potatoes are soft.
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Ready when: Beef falls apart under a fork (about 195–205°F / 90–96°C inside) and potatoes are tender when pierced.
Tip: If the beef is still firm, cook another 30 to 60 minutes. Tough chuck is undercooked, not overcooked.
6
Finish and season
- Remove and discard the thyme stems and bay leaves.
- Stir in the frozen peas if using, cover, and let them heat for 10 minutes on HIGH (or with the heat off but lid on) until bright green and hot.
- Taste the gravy and add more salt if needed, about ¼ teaspoon at a time.
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Ready when: Peas are bright green and hot; gravy coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: If you want a thicker gravy, mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pot and stir them in.
7
Garnish and serve
- Ladle the stew into warm bowls and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
- Serve with crusty bread or over egg noodles.

Good to know

Tips

Chuck roast is the best cut here because its fat and collagen keep it moist over a long cook. Lean cuts like round turn dry.
Don't skip browning the beef. It's the biggest flavor step and takes only 12 minutes.
Use low-sodium broth so you can control the salt, since the stew doesn't reduce in a slow cooker.
For a richer finish, stir in 1 tablespoon of cold butter or a splash of balsamic vinegar just before serving.

Make ahead

"Brown the beef and sauté the onion mixture up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately from the raw vegetables. Next day, load everything into the slow cooker cold and add 30 to 60 minutes to the cooking time. The finished stew also tastes even better the next day."

Storage & reheating

"Cool and refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months (potatoes will be slightly softer after thawing). Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), or microwave in covered bowls. Add a splash of broth if the gravy has thickened. Don't leave at room temperature more than 2 hours."

Substitutions

dry red wine → additional low-sodium beef broth plus 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Gives a similar acidity without alcohol; the flavor will be slightly less deep.
Yukon gold potatoes → parsnips or red potatoes, cut the same size. Red potatoes hold their shape best; parsnips add sweetness.
all-purpose flour → 1½ tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water, stirred in at the end. Gluten-free option; stir in during the last 15 minutes on HIGH until thickened instead of coating the beef.
Worcestershire sauce → 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Adds similar savory depth.