America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Beef Stew
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09/28/2008
I don't understand why Corrine doesn't just post her own recipe for beef stew. The point is to review the given recipe, not list a million changes to it. This stew is perfect AS WRITTEN. If you make any changes, you are not making this recipe for beef stew!!!!
01/14/2012
An excellent and easy stew recipe. I make minimal changes (I like parsnips, so I add three chopped in place of celery, and I add a little more broth because I like more gravy), but that's about it. This is one of those easy, homey, stick-to-your-ribs recipes. Some of the reviews tick me off: Yes, it's a "regular" stew recipe because it is, after all, STEW. And all the changes that other reviewers make? Don't say "I made this recipe, but I changed EVERYTHING about it." You aren't doing this recipe justice.. heck, you aren't doing THIS recipe at all. I'm as guilty of changing recipes to suit my tastes and pantry as much as anyone, but at least tell us that you've made the original recipe as written before doing your million-and-one changes! Thanks for sharing this tasty-as-written recipe, Buchko!
03/19/2006
I made similar adjustments to previous raters. I dredged the beef in flour/salt/pepper and pan friend until browned in olive oil before adding to the slow cooker. Then I added some butter and onion to the pan and cooked until softened. Next I deglazed the pan with some of the broth being sure to scrape up the yummy bits. In total I used 2 10 oz cans of beef broth. I added 10 oz. sliced button mushrooms. Used almost 2T worchestershire sauce, added a bunch of extra herbs and finally thickened with cornstarch. It was perfect.
12/04/2006
I followed Corinnes suggestions and this came out fantastic! The flavor and cosistency were wonderful, and just as good the next day. So you dont have to search for it, here is her suggestion: 1. Increase flour to 1/3 cup and substitute seasoned salt for regular salt. Put flour mixture into gallon-sized, zippered bag. Shake beef in bag to coat. Sauté coated beef in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil until browned. Add chopped onion to beef to sauté and soften. Transfer to slow cooker. 2. Mix beef broth with 1 TABLEspoon Worcestershire and ½ cup red wine. Pour into hot skillet to deglaze, then pour over beef and onions in cooker. 3. Add remaining ingredients with these additions: increase garlic to 2 cloves minced, 2 bay leaves; add 1 packet McCormick's Beef Stew Seasoning.
10/06/2012
The comments about tweaking the recipe, such as browning the meat first and deglazing (not even sure what that is) are nice, but the basic recipe worked out very well for someone who doesn't have time to cook. I like that the recipe is simple for those of us who only have 20 minutes in the morning to throw things in the cooker before running off to work and want to come home to a nice, hot homemade meal. The stew turned out very well and was tasty. I'm not a chef and don't claim to be, which is why I turn to this site for finding recipes like this that are quick to prepare and taste good with a minimal amount of work. This stew does the trick- I have it with some fresh crusty bread that I pick up on the way home and it makes a satisfying meal for my husband and I after a long day's work.
06/07/2002
I have this exact recipe in the recipe booklet that came with my slow cooker! I make it all of the time and my family loves it. I use a packet of dry onion soup mix in place of all the spices, only because it's an easy and convenient way to toss it together.
12/18/2009
I made this yesterday...and it was DELISH! this was my frist time using the slow cooker. People who are commenting completely changing the recipe...STOP. just POST the recipe you are commenting about...since obviously your not making "this" recipe. i loved this and so did my husband.!
11/07/2002
Excellent! VERY thick stew, so if you like a little bit of juice, increase the water. I used inside round sirloin marinating beef (didn't have stewing beef on hand, and this is leaner than stewing beef). I added an extra 1/2 cup of water, an extra celery stalk, frozen peas (during the last hour of cooking) and more potatoes to ensure that it was filling enough for four hungry adults. It was polished off! Double this recipe if you have more than four adults, or if you want some leftovers. I served it with Maritime brown bread and cheese - yummy! Thanks for the great recipe!
02/24/2006
This was a great start for my tweeking, which I always seem to do! With no changes it still would have been at least 4 stars, it just needed some extra flavors. First added a little more veggies substituting red potatoes. I dredged the meat in flour, salt & pepper, then pan fried in a little olive oil for only 5 minutes just until brown on all sides. Removed the meat to the crock pot and deglazed the pan with beef broth and some red wine. Added in some Mc Cormicks stew seasoning, rosemary, thyme and parsely. Increased the Worchestire sauce to 1 T. Then about an hour before done (about 11 hours) added a C. of fresh mushrooms. This turned out great! Perfectly thick for pouring over some mashed potatoes. Thank you for the great recipe!
01/01/2014
This is a great beef stew recipe (as written). It's easy, doesn't make a lot of dishes, makes the house smell amazing, and my family loves it! I contemplated adding a thing or two the second time I made it, but I decided it was unnecessary. The flavors are great just using the base recipe. And really, why make more work for yourself by adding steps that aren't needed. Try this recipe as-is the first time you make it! You'll save yourself some work and I don't think you'll be disappointed. I do have to say that it seems strange to me that people would give a recipe a 5 star rating, but they changed it so much that it's not the same recipe any more. It helps to rate the recipe as it's written. Not to mention that you should at least try it the way it's written before making all kinds of changes. As someone who's pretty new to the site, it makes it harder to find good recipes. Just my two cents.
10/04/2000
This just tasted like regular old beef stew to me. Nothing unusual or great about it. My fiance said there was too much meat and not enough vegetables. I'll keep searching for another recipes. I think this would've benefited from a 1/2 c. red wine.
12/08/2010
YUM!!! I made just a few minor changes to the original recipe and it turned out incredibly delicious!... First off, there's no need to brown the meat first like some reviewers suggested. I just dumped the raw meat into the crockpot and added the flour and pepper and I also added a packet of McCormick Beef Stew Seasoning Mix (I didn't add the salt)... Then I poured in one 14.5 oz can of beef broth, mixed it up really well, and added all the other ingredients exactly as listed (minus the 1 1/2 cups beef broth, of course)... In addition, I also added a tablespoon or so of chopped fresh parsley and a little more of the carrots, potatoes and celery than what the recipe called for, as it didn't look like there were enough veggies in relation to the meat. I used baby carrots and small honey gold potatoes, cut in half... I cooked the stew on high for 6 hours, stirring it every hour or so, and it came out PERFECT! It was very flavorful and just the right consistency. Definitely my favorite beef stew recipe EVER, and it was sooooo easy to make!
10/21/2011
I'm one of those guys who is a freakin disaster in the kitchen, but I can cut veggies without whacking off a finger and I have a slow cooker. I've been making this stew for a year now and it's my go-to meal to throw together on a Saturday morning so I can enjoy it all week long.
10/12/2010
the review that called for adding mcormack's beef stew seasoning packet is making this less healthy because of the sodium content. Adding other spices, herbs and seasalt would be a much better choice.
12/06/2010
I followed recipe to the T. We all really loved this recipe and I thought maybe I would end up tweaking this, but didn't have to. It was perfect as is. Easy too. thanks for sharing.
12/25/2014
This beef stew was EXCELLENT when prepared EXACTLY as written. I'm sure those people who leave lengthy reviews describing how they tweaked the recipe have the best of intentions, instead of wasting review space, perhaps they should submit their own recipe separately. Unless there is an inherent flaw in the recipe, I think it's rude to rework the recipe - ESPECIALLY if that same person gives it four or five stars! Submit your own recipes and leave these poor people alone!
11/15/2010
Followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect. My husband loved this so much he went back for 2nds and then 3rds! His coment when he first tried it was "Truly comfort food".
01/03/2011
Stew to die for!!! I used so many of other reviewers' suggestion-too many to mention, which turned out the most scrumptious stew I've ever made. Key improvements that made it great: Brown the floured beef first, use 3 c. beef broth or water/ water/bouillon combo, add Lawry's Beef Stew packet, add 1 cup frozen peas about 10-15 min. before finishing cooking. Prior to finding this recipe, I used only Lawry's Beef Stew packet, following the printed recipe. This recipe (with the tweaks) is soooooo much better.
05/08/2008
Very good. I have been making this same basic recipe for around 15 years. The only thing that is different about my recipe is that it asks for more salt (1½ tsp), and only ¼ tsp of pepper. I also carefully stir in cooked peas at the very end before serving. And I am telling you, if you can refrain from eating it the first day, it is much better the second day!!! And if you like the consistency to be thicker, you can thicken it with a basic roux. After cooking the stew, remove all food and leave the broth in the slow cooker and turn the cooker to high. In a separate pan, melt and cook 3 Tablespoons butter and 3 Tablespoons flour for around 5 min. Add this roux to the broth in the slow cooker and whisk it until you like the consistency. Add the food back into the slow cooker and enjoy.
02/08/2011
This was a good and flavorful stew; however, I like mine with more broth. So, next time I will add enough beef broth to cover the food.
02/15/2010
Very average tasting. I could have bought a big can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew, liked it more, and saved a few bucks. I followed the recipe as well as I could. I had to double the beef broth because it had nearly dried up after about 3 hours on high. Actually it was completely done after three hours on high for me - maybe my slow cooker has some turbo switch I didn't know about. The meat does not need browned prior to placing in the slow cooker as some people have reported doing - it comes out as tender as possible. The problem I had was with the flavor just being bland as some others have reported. I will probably try again but will most likely add the beef stew seasoning pack others have recommended, and will do maybe two hours on high and two hours on low. I would listen to those who put in the extra seasoning pack (McCormick's, I believe). Good luck!
02/10/2011
My husband is a picky eater and I did not have all the ingredients on hand, so here are the changes I made: 1 tsp of garlic powder (replacing minced garlic), no bay leaf, 1 tsp onion powder (replacing chopped onion) 2 cans beef broth (added a can of water as well, this helped make more base to the sauce), added about 1 cup baby carrots (replacing diced carrots), omitted celery, and added about 1 tsp or so of pepper. These are just my personal changes, but the stew would be just as as good as the orginal recipe. I made this at about 8 o'clock the night before...Our slow cooker has 3 settings - 'Keep Warm', 'Low' and 'High'. 'Low' is usually too high, so I turned it on 'Keep Warm' until about 7AM. I found that the stew was not thickening up well and the beef was still pink, so I added about 1/3 cup Veloutine and turned it up to 'Low' and just prayed it wouldn't burn! We turned it down to 'Keep Warm' again at 3PM and by dinner time it was absolutely perfect! Two men and myself ate almost the whole pot (we all went back for seconds)!!! Definately a keeper, 5 stars!!! Great with biscuits!
06/11/2012
So simple and so good. I only had about 20 minutes before I needed to run out the door when I opened the fridge and saw the stew meat. A few clicks later I found this recipe and was so glad to see that I didn't need to take the time to brown the meat. Dumped the flour, salt, pepper and garlic in a large ziplock baggie, tossed in the meat, poured it into the cooker. chopped up the veggies added the remaining ingredients and off I went. With time to hunt for my shoes and car keys. Thanks for such an easy and very tasty recipe. How wonderful to have a quick clean-up, too. I did add a bit of extra beef broth as I like my stew a little thinner, but that is just a personal preference.
10/21/2011
This is the exact recipe I have been using for 20 some years, with only one other ingredient...a TBS of Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet just to darken the gravy and make it pretty!! I have never had complaints..but always have gotten raves!!! Enjoy!
09/15/2008
Sometimes adding wine too early in a recipe can leave a sour taste with the finished product. Many times I will add wine 1/2 to 45 minutes prior to the end of cooking. I avoid grocery store wines altogether (as they contain a ton of sodium and taste awful) and I never use a wine for cooking that I wouldn't drink. :) De-glazing pans with wine is a good idea for recipes that cook on the stove top for shorter amounts of time. Other ideas for this recipe: Always tenderize stew meat (pound cubes) and then shake them in seasoned flour before browning them. Tenderizing really does make a difference in tenderness. I never used to brown my meat so as to "save time". I realized, after browning my meat first, that I will NEVER skip this step again as the taste differential is very noticeable. The only other recommendation that I would make is more garlic and a couple of bay leaves (remove prior to serving). The house smells wonderful when I make this recipe. Such a great comfort food for a cold winter's day!
01/03/2015
Excellent, easy recipe. But the reviews were my favorite part. A little personal change is great but changing the entire recipe and the superior attitude reviews are so annoying to me. Glad people are speaking up.
10/01/2011
I have made this twice now. First time, I made it as is, with the exception of adding a little extra broth. The second time I had made it, I used 2 cans of Campbell's condensed beef broth. One half hour before serving, I combined two tablespoons each of burgundy wine and Worcestershire sauce with one tablespoon of flour, and then poured it into the stew. Stew thickened up quite nicely and was very flavorful. Will be making it again and again as fall and winter approach.
11/16/2008
This beef stew recipe is delicious & easy. I doubled up on the recipe because I have a large family and everyone LOVED it. I ended up putting the flour mixture in a ziploc bag and added the meat to that and shook really well until everything was evenly coated and then put it in the crockpot. I also added frozen sweet peas to the recipe and it was perfect. This is the first time I made beef stew that everyone in my house enjoyed. What a great recipe!! If you are looking for a great beef stew recipe, you should pick this one...
12/16/2007
I tried this recipe due to the 4 1/2 out of 5 stars based on 499 reviews so I figured it must be good. I didn't have time to read the reviews when I printed it, but I should have. This recipe was just bland & blah. We added extra beef broth, 2 packets lipton onion soup mix, 2 cups water, some extra salt, extra vegetables, a rue to help thicken it a little, put it over white rice w/ butter & it was still just blah. After reading the reviews, it seems that most everyone had to tweak this recipe so I can't figure out why it had such a high star rating on the yummy factor. If reviewing this recipe on it's own merits without all the extra's needed, don't waste your time & money on the ingredients unless your're looking for a recipe to doctor up on your own. I recommend finding a different one.
10/18/2011
So amazing! I definetly would not waste time searing the beef. I used to be fully beleive in searing the outside first, but after making it without, i realized the falvour is just as good and the beef is alot more tender, plus it takes way less time and less dishes! I added a pack of Club House stew seasoning and a little more salt when it was done. Wonderful.
07/11/2011
EXCELLENT & DELICIOUS. I had only 1 lb stew meat which I cut into 1" cubes. Followed all other instructions. My slow cooker is 'large' so I adjusted recipe for 2 plus extras for leftover: I used 2 cups left over corn beef broth, plus 1 can low sodium beef broth; 3 med red potatoes, cubed; 1/2 lb peeled baby carrots; 1 4oz can button mushrooms; 1 cup frozen peas. Cooked on high for 3 hrs, then low for 2 hr: total 5 hrs. 10 to 12 hrs is WAY TOO long for this recipe. I added the mushrooms & peas the last 1/2 hr of cooking; then thicken liquid with 1 Tbl flour & broth. Switched cooker to 'warm' till ready for dinner. New cookers power are higher than the old ones so food cooks a lot faster and more evenly. Meat was tender, and veggies were perfect. Reviewers that state their meat was not tender, or that veggies were overcooked should check with the mfg of their cooker. I was informed by my mfgr that the UL CODE was changed to cook at higher temperatures to insure that foods were cooked thoroughly to prevent bacteria or food poisoning. That was good to know because you have to learn NOT to overcook, and come home to a burned meal. I suggest that you check with your mfgr for the correct cooking times. All cookers are not alike.
10/10/2005
Very good. I was a bit surprised because there didn't seem to be enough liquid. I thought for sure I was going to have to add more broth but I decided to wait and see what happened. Sure enough, the juices from the meat provided just enough liquid. Great recipe!
03/20/2000
This recipe was great. It was easy and fast to prepare. My son asked if I could make this every night so I call it a winner.
01/26/2011
Don't look at any other beef stew recipies. This is Awesome ! This is the beef stew recipe that I will continue to use forever. I used a bottom roast that I cut up into 1.5" cubes myself. Total cooking time was 5 hours on high. I did follow the changes that a reviewer named Corinne made and I highly recommend that you do too. They are as follows... 1. Increase flour to 1/3 cup and substitute seasoned salt for regular salt. Put flour mixture into gallon-sized, zippered bag. Shake beef in bag to coat. Sauté coated beef in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil until browned. Add chopped onion to beef to sauté and soften. Transfer to slow cooker. 2. Mix beef broth (I used Swanson's Certified Organic in aseptic carton) with 1 TABLEspoon Worcestershire and ½ cup red wine. Pour into hot skillet to deglaze, then pour over beef and onions in cooker. 3. Add remaining ingredients with these additions: increase garlic to 2 cloves minced, 2 bay leaves; add 1 packet McCormick's Beef Stew Seasoning. Thanks for the additions Corinne.
04/20/2011
Made this recipe exactly as it is written and it turned out awesome!
04/18/2011
I loved the simplicity of this recipe - I did follow the recipe, with no extra steps to brown the meat. It was delicious! everyone needs a few good throw-and-go recipes for the crock pot, and this is definitely one of my new favorites.
01/03/2015
This recipe does not need another glowing review, but it was good enough that it deserves one! While in reality, this is a good old, basic beef stew recipe, the beauty is in the cooking method - the crock pot AND that it does not call for browning the meat before slow cooking. While I don't add or subtract ingredients from this recipe, I do modify the ones that are there a little bit. I up the Worcestershire to 1 tablespoon and I use two to three cloves of garlic (just love that stuff!). I also dredge the meat in either flour (or corn starch sometimes) before placing in crock pot (I just think it is a bit easier this way, so just personal preference, no right or wrong way here). And because I adore cooked celery, I often add three stalks or so. So you see, no real changing of the recipe, just the amounts of some things to suit my family's tastes. Make exactly as is and you won't be disappointed - tweak it a bit to suit you and your family and you have a stellar recipe in your repertoire!
01/12/2014
This is a great beef stew recipe! I didn't add anything or change a thing to this recipe. Do yourself a favor - don't "doctor this up" until you try it as is. If you don't like it (which you will) then play with it!
10/18/2010
I made this 2 days in a row. My family thoroughly enjoyed this. The only thing I did the 2nd time around was spray non-stick cooking spray in the crock before adding ingredients and mixed the stew meat and flour mixture in a seperate bowl and let it sit a few minutes to have the flour mixture ahear to the meat so that it didn't stick to the bottom of the crock while cooking. Other then that I did followed to a T both times. I cooked at low temp all day but I did prepare it at 4:30 in the morning and we at it 7 in the evening, so the meat was extra soft. We liked it very much.
11/21/2010
I've made this several ways. The first time I made it as Corinne suggested. It was a lot of extra work and I don't like salt. I don't recommend her way. The second time I made it, I made it as is. It was very, VERY good. My problem though was the amount of salt. Again, I don't like salt. The next time I made it, the third time, I eliminated the salt altogether. Because I do this, I usually have to add a couple of things to make up for it and in this case I did not. Needless to say, it was a bit bland. The fourth time I made it, I had great success! Again, I eliminated the salt. I added 2 tsp of sodium free beef bouillon powder, 1 tsp of onion powder, about 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, a pinch of rosemary and 3 cloves of minced garlic. This one was a keeper. If you like salt, then the original recipe will is perfect. If not, then this last way may be something you'll enjoy. What is great about the original recipe and this last way is how easy and low mess it is. There is no reason to brown the meat in advance and this way the meat came out incredibly tender. Thanks for sharing this recipe! Our family loves it.
01/19/2002
I used 2 cups(the whole can) of beef broth and this turned out great. we loved it.
11/22/2011
This was delicious. I've made this numerous times "as is" and it's perfect. I've also made it several times using Corinne's suggestions and it too is fantastic. Honestly, for me, it depends when I'm making it. If I'm throwing it together before work I do the easy "as is" version. If I have extra time I do Corinne's. While the two do taste different, they are both delicious in their own way. Definitely a keeper!
02/03/2009
WOW! I was shocked how good it was. I Will add more vegetables next time. That's the only thing I would do different..
02/17/2013
I took the great base recipe, and tweaked it with a compilation of reviewer recommendations. The end result is a winner, to be sure. Here is what I did (and I won't change a thing the next time I make it): 1. Increase flour to 1/3 cup and substitute seasoned salt for regular salt. Put flour mixture into a zippered bag. Shake beef in bag to coat. Sauté coated beef in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil until browned. Add chopped onion to beef to sauté and soften. Transfer to slow cooker. 2. Mix beef broth with 1 TABLEspoon Worcestershire and ½ cup red wine. Pour into hot skillet to deglaze, then pour over beef and onions in cooker. 3. Add remaining ingredients with these additions: increase garlic to 2 cloves minced, 2 bay leaves; add 1 packet McCormick's Beef Stew Seasoning. Your home will smell wonderful all day, and your meal will be a savory feast! I served the stew in bowls, accompanied by slices of fresh, crusty bread.
10/08/2012
This recipe is PERFECT as is !!! I did use Beef Consomme & French Onion soup...
10/21/2011
My husband loves beefstew and I don't make it, so I used this recipe last night and it was FANTASTIC. After reading others' reviews I decided to brown my meat in 1/4c of olive oil and deglaze the pan with 1/4c of sherry, 1/4c water & remaining flour. I added this sauce to the crockpot with all the other ingredients. I also added 1 can of tomato sauce for coloring. It was so good we ate beefstew for breakfast this morning. Thanks for such a simple recipe.
01/05/2007
I have to agree with susanna's review. I hope I don't offend anyone when I write this: I know we all "tweak" sometimes - like I added 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and extra veggies and broth, but to change the recipe THAT much is to not make this recipe. Beef stew is supposed to be simple and great tasting - this recipe is both as it is written. As a busy mom of 3 kids, it is perfect. I will say I tried beef stew with red wine and my kids hardly touched it - it took away from the true taste of the stew. If you want beef stew like you had as a kid, this is it. The simplicity and reminder of home make this a 5 star recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!
01/01/2015
I love this recipe as is. It's also SUPER easy to tweak. The only thing I would say (because of some of the other recommendations here) is DO NOT brown the beef first, it just ends up dry and tough. I tried quite a few different recipes that called for browning the beef first and the first time I made it with THIS recipe the beef just falls apart so soft and tender. Seriously just try it this way at least once. It's amazing. This beef stew also does really well with mushrooms added, my husband loves mushrooms. I also add quite a bit more worcestershire because I love it. But every time I make beef stew I do this basic recipe and then add whatever I want and it always turns out great.
01/21/2013
Soooooo good. Definitely do NOT need to go all crazy with browning meat, and DO cook on Low for the longer time period instead of trying to speed things up by putting it on High. I made it both ways, and while I still enjoyed it when I put it on high, it made a difference in the meat texture and turned out perfectly when I cooked on low, as suggested. I like mine to have more broth, so I made sure my ingredients were covered in beef broth (about 5 or 6 cups I think). I added a glug of red wine, 1/4 tsp salt straight into the broth (in addition to the 1/2 tsp mixed into the flour already), and I put in 1.5 - 2 tablespoons of soy sauce instead of the worcestershire sauce (I made this recipe gluten free with gluten free soy sauce and gluten free flour). Use red potatoes because they won't turn mushy on you. It's the simple flavors of this recipe, cooked to perfection, that make this a great recipe. It's like your grandma's best, classic Beef Stew. Definitely going to be a staple in my house.
11/20/2012
Excellent as is. I also add 1/2 pack of onion soup mix, a tsp of dried thyme, mushrooms, and frozen peas. Perfect with warm crusty bread. The most recent time I made this, I quadrupled the recipe and froze 3 portions in large freezer bags and made the 4th in the slow cooker. For the frozen meals, I just marked how long to cook on the bag before filling. When I wanted to make the stew, I would thaw it in the fridge overnight so that the next day I could just pop it in the slow cooker.
01/30/2003
I knew this was a good starting point. What I did differently was coat the meat with the flour, salt and pepper and then fry it in dijon mustard flavored oil. I put the potatoes, carrots, celery and onion on the bottom of the crock to be sure they would cook completely and put the meat over it. I didn't have any beef broth so I took the trimmings from the meat cubes and boiled them for a few minutes along with a package of onion soup mix. Remove the meat scraps since they're just stringy, and pour the resulting broth over contents in the crock after sprinkling with paprika and adding the worcestershire sauce, garlic and bay leaves (yes, more than one leaf). No need to stir. Then, about a half hour before it's done, add a can of stewed tomatoes, some mushrooms and about a cup of frozen peas. Okay, now you can stir. If it's too juicy for you, just do the corn starch/water mix and add it. I made two batches, one in a 3.5 qt. crock pot and one in a 5 qt. slow cooker. Both were done in about 4 hours on high doing it this way. Bon apetit.
01/30/2011
One of the easiest beef stew recipes on earth.. I do not alter anything and it's delicious.. I've made it at least 4 times since I discovered it.
01/29/2011
Despite owning two crock pots, I don't have a lot of experience with them. That may change, thanks to this recipe. The stew was delicious! The only things I measured were the flour and broth; just guessed at everything else. Toward the end, I added cornstarch mixed with water just to thicken it up a bit, but followed the recipe to about 98% otherwise. (Don't like bay leaf, added more broth, added pepper to my serving.) Hubby had two bowls and our super-finicky youngest said, "Good dinner, Mom." Whoa!
10/04/2011
yummmy....great on a cold day...i dredged the meat in flour, salt and pepper, then browned it with onions, put that in pan then added the wine and Worcestershire to pan and deglazed put that in crock with all the other ingredients plus a package of beef onion soup, rosemary, extra garlic....cooked on high for 5 hours
01/22/2008
I followed this recipe exactly as written. I let it cook while I was out and returned to a meal that was mushy and bland. Will not cook again.
06/28/2000
My husband had been wanting a stew and I printed this and tried it. It was wonderful and he loved it... thanks
10/27/2011
I made this beef stew exactly as written, even though it just felt "wrong" not to brown the stew meat first. However, I wanted to give the recipe a fair chance. Bottom line is, it was great. My husband loved it, I loved it, and this will go in the regular lineup for meals this fall and winter. It's a winner.
01/06/2012
So easy! I followed the recipe exactly and let it cook all day when I was at work. I only made half. Next time I'll use a full cup of broth instead of 3/4 cup - all the liquid was sucked up by the time I got home.
03/06/2014
Lol Canucky! You read my mind! Im sure your beef stew is delish Corinne...but it isnt THIS recipe :) whos recipe were you rating? I give THIS recipe five stars! Super yummy.
12/28/2002
A very savory stew with NO leftovers! My whole family gave it "two thumbs up". Personally, I would cook this stew NO LESS than 12 hours on the low setting. The meat was "fork tender". I did scale the recipe to yield 8 servings, evenly browned the floured meat 1st in margarine, then transferred it over to the crock pot. I also included 2 cups of water and 2 cups of beef stock for a heartier flavor and more gravy in the stew. Additionally, I used a TBLS more of Worcestershire Sauce, (1) TBLS of Lawry's Seasoned Salt, 1 tsp. of sugar and more black pepper to taste. Lastly, I blended 3 TBLS each of real butter and flour and "whisked" it into the stew w/a fork the last 2 hours of cooking time, to thicken the gravy. Absolutely delicious with either crusty bread or hot, buttered cornbread fresh out the oven. Next time, I'll add frozen peas the last hour or so. Overall, this one will definitely remain in my recipe file. I plan to make this stew again real soon!
11/16/2014
I'm a rookie to a slow cooker so I always research recipes before I make something. I found this recipe today and thought it seemed too easy to be good.... But figured I would try it and make it exactly as written except I added 1/4 cup of red wine. What a surprise. It is the best beef stew I've ever made! Cooked it for 4 hours on high and it was done to perfection! No browning and no sautéing vegetables....easy breezy. Definitely give it a try!
01/03/2015
the point of this stew is the convenience and speed in which you can get it ready. if I want something quick, I do not dredge and brown and tweak, I put it in the slowcooker and turn it on. voila, something quick and delicious without making it a cecil b demille.
10/21/2002
This stew was pretty bland on it's own. I added a packet of beef stew seasoning at the end of cooking and it made a world of difference!
11/07/2011
Great! If you like VERY meaty stew, this is the recipe for you! I like a little more of a balance between meat and veggies so I add 6 carrots, 2 large russet potatoes, and 3 stalks of celery. I double the garlic and use an extra cup of beef broth. No need to brown the meat or saute the onions 1st, it's a slow cooker recipe! The meat is going to be fall apart succulent anyway you do it. Also don't add red wine...it adds a sour flavour to it that's just off. I served it with a dollop of cream cheese on top (if you have not tried this DO...you'll never eat beef stew again without it) and crusty bread Thanx Buchko!
02/21/2010
This was excellent--I did put the flour mixture into a ziplock bag and coated the meat first; saute the beef quickly with onion until brown and then threw it into the crock pot. I also added more garlic and I used a packet of McCormicks beef stew mix.
02/17/2012
This stew turned out great. I made it last weekend and my husband is begging me to make it again this weekend. The only thing I added was a little corn startch to thicken the broth.
11/14/2010
Good, hearty stew, wonderful for a chilly night! I made a mountain of it so that I'd have plenty to freeze for another dinner, but truth be told, we nearly finished it all! Small changes (FTW) - shook the cubed meat in a large zip-lock w/ flour, paprika, s&p) then browned it. Deglazed pan w/ sherry. Added to the crock pot, in addition to the potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery, 2 c. frozen mixed veggies, along w/ some bell pepper. Sopped up all the stew-ey goodness w/ hunks of cornbread and our bellies were very happy indeed.
11/30/2010
I made this exactly as the recipe says except that I only had 1.5lbs of beef. Also, I used reduced sodium beef broth and added frozen green peas in the last hour of cooking. Came out great! Husband loved it and I enjoyed it as well. But it felt like there was something missing...I can't put my finger on it :(
08/24/2011
OMG. This stew was so awesome and SO easy! Left it on for my bf to come home to and he ate almost half the pot by himself lol. Followed the recipe instructions and all ingredients...i just added a half cup of wine. i think the wine gave it good flavor, just next time i think im going to just use like a 1/3 cup instead.
04/29/2005
The original recipe isn't bad, but with some alterations it can be superb! 1/2 C red wine gives it flavor, and increase the flour to 1/3 C to compensate for the extra liquid. Use at least a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and two each bay leaves and garlic cloves. We halved the onion and added a jar of those small "Holland-style" onions, but the veggies are flexible. Make sure to be bold with the flavoring, though! Delicious with crusty bread.
04/11/2013
I seasoned the meat with S&P and coated with flour, then browned it on the stovetop before adding it to the slow cooker. Topped it with onion & garlic, then added all the chopped veggies. I then mixed together the broth, some red wine (about a 1/2 cup or so) and a packet of beef stew seasoning mix and poured it over the top. Added 1 bay leaf & let it go. It was ready in about 4 hours on the high setting. Pure comfort food!
01/08/2015
Just made this on a -10 degree day here in Maine. It is so easy and so good. I added more carrot and potato because my son doesn't like celery. i added a tablespoon on tomato paste and otherwise as written. no need to brown meat, it adds work and isn't necessary. Thank you so much for the recipe. I always look for 4 and a half stars ratings and this deserves it!
10/17/2010
So easy and so good! I followed the recipe as written, with the exception of adding an extra stalk of celery. This is definitely a keeper!
12/04/2006
STOP RIGHT HERE! THIS IS A TERRIFIC BEEF STEW RECIPE WITH THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER REVIEWER'S (CORINNE) TWEAKS. IN ADDITION TO CORINNE'S TWEAKS, I ADDED THE FOLLOWING: ADDED MORE POTATOES/CARROTS AND MORE LIQUID (BROTH & WINE), JUST A PERSONAL CHOICE. SERVE IT IN A BREAD BOWL (PANERRA'S CARRY THEM). YOU'LL EAT THE STEW AND THE BOWL!! RAVE REVIEWS FROM MY FAMILY AND MY COOKING CLUB. ENJOY!
12/12/2011
EXCELLENT!! I followed the recipe with Corinne's recommendations from 10/10/06. She said to increase flour to 1/3 cup. I also added Morton's Nature's Seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Put flour mixture into gallon-sized, zippered bag. Shake beef in bag to coat. Sauté coated beef in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil until browned. Add chopped onion to beef to sauté and soften. Transfer to slow cooker. I mixed 1/2 cup of the broth with some Swanson's concentrated broth jellies (2 of them) and the worcestershire sauce and deglazed the pan. I poured that into the slow cooker and added the remaining 1 cup of beef broth. Add the remaining ingredients (I also added fresh green beans because I had them on hand). Increased the garlic to 2 cloves minced. I mixed everything in the crock pot and let it go on high for 4 hours. The meat was amazingly tender and the veggies were flavorful. The browning of the meat makes all the difference. This is a keeper!
12/11/2010
4 stars because I had to almost triple the amount of broth to get the amount of gravy I wanted. Added about 2 tbs of corn starch at the end to make a nice rich thick gravy. I also used seasoned salt instead or regular salt. Also, used 1 extra potato. Next time, I will add more celery than what it called for-I wish there was more. My DH said it was "really really good". Enough said. =)
03/28/2010
My husband said this is the BEST stew I have ever made. Even 4 stew skeptics (kids under the age of 9) devoured it. I also floured the beef, using top sirloin, not stewing beef, browned in a bit of oil and butter, then put them to the side and sauteed onions, adding carrots, then celery, then garlic in that order (leaving a 2 minute gap between each addition), also deglazed with red wine, then threw everything into the crock pot. I put it in the fridge then pulled it out in the morning and put it on before I left for work. I think the top sirloin is way better than the stewing beef, came out extremely tender and not dry at all. Also, I diced the celery so it pretty much dissolved into the stew, without being mushy or anything but you still got the flavour of it.
04/30/2010
very good stew!. i cut my medium sized potatoes in half only, and my carots in hugs chunks! they were super soft enough after 10 hours!. also added a tomoto. and an hour before some cornstarch to make it thicker. ate with french bread . great recipe...a keeper!
10/23/2012
I don't think I'll ever brown stew meat again. I have never omitted this step before but I decided to follow this recipe and was pleasantly surprised. I left out the onions and garlic as I was short on time and it was still delicious.
08/27/2014
This was great exactly as is. I was nervous not to cook the beef first, but it was fork tender and the stew had a nice brown color to it. I'd definitely make this again. No adjustments made other than adding an extra potato.
09/18/2011
I agree with Corinne, This was a good base to start from as with all recipes they do not have to be followed to the letter. I agree with the browning as otherwise the meat looks kinda boiled and a little pale and adds alot of xtra flavour. I added my own variation of veg such as rutabegas, carrots, corn, potatoes and carrots as well as the onion and xtra garlic. The packet of seasoning really helps. This was very simple and will def make again mmmm :)
09/02/2011
Made this....didn't have beef broth, so I used onion soup mix instead. It turned out really great!
03/06/2012
Mislead by other reviews. Stick with this recipe as is. DO NOT add McCormick seasoning!!!! You will ruin this recipe.
01/13/2011
This is a good basic recipe. I made it as is except I put about 1/4 c red wine in. I think next time I will dust the meat with the flour and salt and pepper mixture and brown it and maybe add some thyme or rosemary. It's pretty good as is though. I cooked on high for 6 hours and the meat was fall apart tender.
10/03/2016
Second time making this exact same recipe becuase the first time was so easy and absolutely loved by the whole family! I don't have the time to brown anything or sift in zip locks! Worked all night and feet are killin..which is why iv chosen this exact recipe...just throw it all in and out comes a masterpiece of superbness! Amazing and can't wait to eat it on this cold winters night, as soon as I wake up! Gnight ;)
02/24/2003
I took the advice of other reviewers: At the beginning, I added a package of gravy mix mixed with a cup of water, and tripled the amount of garlic. With about an hour to go, I added a can of italian stewed tomatoes, a can of corn, a can of peas, and some sliced fresh mushrooms. I did try to thicken it a bit with some cornstarch (for the first time ever -- but I think it worked!). This was delicious -- we ate it over rice, with grated mozzarella cheese on top! I added the cheese because I thought the pepper was a little too strong. Next time, I'll put in less pepper and paprika, but everything else I'll do the same.
02/18/2011
Exceptional! I am a pot roast/beef stew FANATIC (as a kid, it's what I always picked for my "birthday meal"), so I consider myself a tough critic. I've been making pot roast/beef stew myself for years now without a recipe, but decided to give this one a whirl. BEST POT ROAST I EVER MADE! Thank you so much for sharing this one. No modifications. Yum, and my house smelled incredible. One tip; do NOT shortchange yourself on the cooking time.
01/13/2012
I love this as a base recipe. I follow some of the other reviewers suggestions of adding things like dry onion soup mix. I also usually change it up to put in whatever vegetables I want at the time or have on hand. I LOVE putting sweet potatoes in and hominy. Good stuff. Don't be put off by the picture-this stew looks disgusting in the pic if you ask me!
08/29/2000
Very yummy and spicy; my little one didn't like it but what does a 17 month old like but hotdogs and macaroni?! Very tasty!
08/01/2011
This is an excellent 'base' recipe. i did like some others, and browned the meat before assembling in the crockpot. I also added some quartered mushrooms(baby belles), and more beef stock. I"ve never done stew in a crockpot before, it came out amazing!!!!
03/26/2011
This is a very good slow cooker beef stew. I floured the beef and browned it in olive oil before adding it to the slow cooker. I then deglazed the pan with the beef broth and added that in for extra flavor. In addition, I cooked the potatoes just before serving in a separate pan and added them in at the end to decrease the starchiness of the stew. There were no leftovers.
08/02/2011
The nice thing about this stew is that I could put it in the slow cooker and not think about it until dinner time. The stew itself tasted fine, but it had no special characteristics beyond that. It tasted like every other stew I have made. So it gets 4 stars for being easy.
03/21/2014
This is the best stew recipe I've tried (and there were many tries)! My husband raved about it, all the kids gobbled it up in record time. I do want to say that there is no need to brown the beef before putting it in the slow cooker. In fact, it adds nothing at all to the taste or the tenderness. What it does add is more fat and calories. I wouldn't have thought that the best stew recipe on this site would have been the easiest, but the fact that you don't have to brown anything before putting it in the slow cooker is the beauty of this easy to make dish.
10/05/2008
Stew is one of those recipes that just keeps growing until you find out it is too much to safely fit your slow cooker. I baked everything for 3 1/2 hours (covered) at 375. I added onion and corn to the recipe. Pretty tasty stew.
07/30/2000
This is an excellent stew! The flavour was great and b/c I cooked it on low for 10 hours the meat was soooo tender. The only problem is there's never any left for left-overs! The only thing I changed was that I pre-cooked the potatoes. Next time I'll double the recipe.
10/29/2012
Preparing for the Frankenstorm to hit East Coast, I made this slow cooker beef stew last night. I didn't have beef broth so I used chicken broth and I didn't have enough Worcestershire sauce but the flavor is delish. I wanted a simple straight forward beef stew and this is it. I like to brown my meat first to give that extra flavor. This is a definite keeper.Serve with white rice and you are set.
02/26/2011
We liked this a lot. I just threw it all in the crock pot and it turned out great - I added 1/4 cup wine and a 12 oz package of frozen mixed veggies, omitting the worchestershire sauce and carrots because of what I had on hand. Definitely a repeat.
04/25/2007
Very tasty Nancy. I added green beans as well as additional potatoes & carrots & flour. Next time I may add a can of cream of mushromm soup. Mmmm good. Thanks!
07/02/2000
Great with some peas thrown in too.
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14685/slow-cooker-beef-stew-i/
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