About This Recipe

Slow cooker beef stew is the meal that November was invented for — big cubes of chuck roast melting into fall-apart tenderness in a rich, wine-dark broth alongside hearty potatoes and carrots. You do 20 minutes of searing in the morning, set the slow cooker, and come home to the most comforting smell and dinner imaginable. The trick most recipes skip: sear the beef hard and deglaze with red wine to capture every bit of flavor from the pan.

Nutrition estimates based on USDA FoodData Central. Values are per serving and may vary.

Why You'll Love It

  • Beef so tender it falls apart at the touch of a fork
  • Set-it-and-forget-it — 20 minutes of effort, 8 hours of reward
  • Rich, deeply flavored broth from wine, beef, and all those browned bits
  • The entire house smells incredible all day long

Slow Cooker Beef Stew (Fall-Apart Tender)

Slow Cooker Beef Stew (Fall-Apart Tender)
20 min
Prep
8 hrs
Cook
8 hrs 20 min
Total
6
Servings
⭐ 4.9
Rating
420
Calories

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs (900g) beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb (450g) baby potatoes, halved
  • 3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups (480ml) beef broth
  • 1 cup (240ml) red wine (Cabernet or Merlot) or extra broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

  1. 1Sear the beef Toss beef pieces in flour, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over HIGH heat. Sear beef in batches — don't cr...
  2. 2Build the base In the slow cooker, combine potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme,...
  3. 3Add beef and liquids Place seared beef on top of the vegetables. Pour red wine into the hot skillet used for searing, scraping up all the bro...
  4. 4Cook low and slow Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours, or HIGH for 4-5 hours. The long low cook is what makes the beef fall apart — resist...
  5. 5Thicken if needed If the broth is too thin, mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water. Stir into the hot stew. Cover and cook on HIGH 1...
  6. 6Serve Remove bay leaves. Season to taste. Ladle into deep bowls and top with fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread to mop up ...

Ingredients

2 lbs (900g) beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 1 lb (450g) baby potatoes, halved 3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 stalks celery, chopped 1 large onion, roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups (480ml) beef broth 1 cup (240ml) red wine (Cabernet or Merlot) or extra broth 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp dried thyme 2 bay leaves Fresh parsley for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Sear the beef

    Toss beef pieces in flour, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over HIGH heat. Sear beef in batches — don't crowd the pan — 2-3 minutes per side until deeply browned. This step is not optional: it's where most of the flavor comes from.

  2. 2

    Build the base

    In the slow cooker, combine potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves.

  3. 3

    Add beef and liquids

    Place seared beef on top of the vegetables. Pour red wine into the hot skillet used for searing, scraping up all the brown bits — add this plus beef broth to the slow cooker.

  4. 4

    Cook low and slow

    Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours, or HIGH for 4-5 hours. The long low cook is what makes the beef fall apart — resist the urge to open the lid.

  5. 5

    Thicken if needed

    If the broth is too thin, mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water. Stir into the hot stew. Cover and cook on HIGH 15-20 minutes until thickened.

  6. 6

    Serve

    Remove bay leaves. Season to taste. Ladle into deep bowls and top with fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the rich broth.

Pro Tips

🏆 Chef Tips
  • Searing the beef is the most important step — don't skip it for 'convenience.' Brown = flavor.
  • Deglaze the searing pan with wine and add ALL those brown bits to the slow cooker — that's pure flavor.
  • Cook on LOW not HIGH for the most tender beef — high heat makes the beef tough and stringy.
  • Add frozen peas or fresh parsley in the last 15 minutes for freshness and color.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chuck roast is the king of stew meat — its fat and connective tissue melt during long cooking into gelatin that makes the broth rich and the meat fork-tender. Don't use sirloin — it gets dry.
Yes — substitute with additional beef broth and add 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar for acidity. Results are still excellent.
Either it cooked on HIGH instead of LOW, or not long enough. Chuck roast needs the full 8-9 hours on low to fully break down its collagen. Patience is the ingredient.
Sear on Sauté mode. Add everything, pressure cook on High for 35 minutes, natural release 15 minutes. Quick release remaining pressure. Thicken if needed on Sauté.

Nutrition Per Serving

420
Calories
35g
Protein
28g
Carbs
18g
Fat
4g
Fiber
5g
Sugar
680mg
Sodium
6g
Sat. Fat