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Looking for an easy crockpot beef stew? Easy is all I do around here. I got high-falutin’ once and learned the error of my ways. Check out this crock pot recipe and see if it isn’t just the perfect comfort food when you want warm and delicious. And if you’re going to spend a house payment on some beef these days, we may as well feed a crowd with it.

Close up bowl of crockpot beef stew with tender beef, potato chunks and carrots in broth

Table of Contents

How to Make This Crockpot Beef Stew: Steps + Photos

Step 1: Get out your tools and ingredients, then measure everything: 1 lb stew meat, 3 large potatoes, 2 cups baby carrots, half tsp salt, half tsp pepper, half tsp garlic, 4 cups water, 1 and a half tbsp beef bouillon (I like Better Than Bouillon a lot) and 1/4 cup cornstarch.

Ingredients for crockpot beef stew: water, cubed potatoes, stew meat, salt, pepper and garlic, cornstarch, beef bouillon and baby carrots in white bowls

Step 2: If you prefer the skin on your potatoes, skip this part: Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 inch pieces. Then cut the baby carrots in half.

Peeled potatoes cut into one inch pieces on a white cutting board with a paring knife

Baby carrots cut in half on a white cutting board with a paring knife

Step 3 (optional): I find that if I’m just trying to cut down on time in the kitchen, I skip skillet-searing the beef in advance, BUT it does add depth of flavor. If you like: Brown the stew meat in a skillet over medium-high heat before it goes into the crockpot. If there is any fond stuck to the bottom of the skillet, scrape it into the crockpot.

Step 4: Add the stew beef to the crock.

Raw stew meat in the bottom of a black crockpot

Step 5: Add the salt, pepper, garlic and beef bouillon over the meat. Stir.

Salt and pepper sprinkled over the stew meat in the crockpot

Beef bouillon and garlic added over the seasoned stew meat in the crockpot

Step 6: Put the cut potatoes and carrots on top.

Cubed potatoes piled on top of the seasoned stew meat in the crockpot

Halved baby carrots added over the potatoes and beef in the crockpot

Step 7: Measure out and pour in the water.

Water poured into the crockpot until the beef, potatoes and carrots are covered

Step 8: Set the crockpot to low: Cover and cook for 6 hours. Taste and add a dash of salt to taste if it needs it.

Step 9: To a measuring cup, mix the cornstarch with a couple teaspoons of water to make a slurry, stir it into the crockpot, then cover and cook 15 more minutes until slightly thickened. This one came out a little thin, but if you can

Ladle of crockpot beef stew lifted from the slow cooker full of beef, potatoes and carrots

Tools & Equipment

Slow cooker
Skillet and spatula, only if you want to brown the stew meat first
Cutting board
Paring or chef’s knife
Vegetable peeler
Measuring cups and measuring spoons
Small bowl and fork or small whisk (for the cornstarch slurry)

White bowl of crockpot beef stew with chunks of beef, potato and carrot

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Crockpot Beef Stew

Stew meat, potatoes and baby carrots cook for six hours in a beef bouillon broth, long enough for the beef to pull apart on a spoon while the potato chunks keep their edges. A cornstarch slurry stirred in at the end thickens the broth slightly. Everything goes into the slow cooker straight from the cutting board, and browning the meat first is optional.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 6 15

Total Time 6 30

Course Dinner, Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 224 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb stew meat
3 large potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces
2 c baby carrots cut in half
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t garlic
3 c water
2 T beef bouillon paste like Better Than Bouillon or 8 cubes
1/4 c cornstarch

Instructions

Peel the potatoes (if desired) and cut them into 1 inch pieces. Cut the baby carrots in half.
Optional: Brown the stew meat in a skillet over medium-high heat first, just enough to brown one or two sides of the pieces.
Add the stew meat to the bottom of the crockpot, along with any pan drippings if you browned it.
Add the salt, pepper, garlic and beef bouillon over the meat.
Place the potatoes and carrots on top.
Pour the water in.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
Mix the cornstarch with a couple teaspoons of water to make a slurry. Stir it into the crockpot, cover, and cook 15 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Notes

Optional: brown the stew meat in a skillet over medium-high heat before it goes into the crockpot, then scrape the meat and any pan drippings into the pot. The recipe is written to skip this so there is only one pot to wash.

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 19gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 301mgPotassium: 813mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 5887IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 3mg

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