Slow Cooker Beef Stew Root Vegetables (Printable version)
Tender beef and root vegetables slowly simmered in a rich broth with herbs for ultimate comfort in a bowl.
# What you need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
03 - 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
04 - 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
05 - 1 large yellow onion, chopped
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
→ Aromatics & Seasonings
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 tsp salt
13 - ½ tsp black pepper
→ Liquids
14 - 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
15 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
→ Thickening
16 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
17 - 2 tbsp cold water
# How To:
01 - Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season thoroughly with salt and pepper.
02 - Place seasoned beef, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onion, and celery in the slow cooker.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together tomato paste, garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth until well combined.
04 - Pour the liquid mixture over the meat and vegetables. Gently stir to distribute evenly.
05 - Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours, or until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are fully cooked.
06 - During the final 30 minutes of cooking, mix cornstarch with cold water to create a smooth slurry. Stir into the stew and continue cooking until thickened.
07 - Remove and discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef becomes impossibly tender without any fancy techniques or babysitting
- Root vegetables soak up all that flavorful broth while holding their shape beautifully
02 -
- I once skipped the cornstarch step because I was in a rush and the stew was still delicious but lacking that restaurant quality texture
- Taking the time to really pat the beef dry makes a bigger difference than you might expect
03 -
- Low and slow is not just a saying here high heat will make the beef tough instead of tender
- Remove the bay leaves before serving unless you want an unexpected crunchy surprise