This slow-cooked beef stew with carrots and potatoes is old-fashioned comfort food in a pot! Brown the beef, place it in a slow cooker, add the vegetables, and eat a few hours later. Simple and delicious!
One-Pot Slow-Cooked Beef Stew Meal
When I was young, I liked almost no meat except beef stew! There was something about carrots, potatoes, and beef cooked in a gravy sauce that whetted my appetite. I didn’t care if it was homemade or poured out of a can because I loved beef stew! Usually, my mother used a pressure cooker to speed up the cooking process.

Slow-Cooked for Convenience
Later, I discovered that a slow cooker would tenderize the beef and could be set hours before you wanted to eat it. This was a perfect solution while working all day because I could come home to a hot meal that smelled delicious as soon as I opened the door. Little did I know that this convenient cooking method would become my favorite way to cook beef stew. Not only is it convenient, but it cooks perfectly every time!

Peel and Cut up the Vegetables
I always add extra carrots to this dish because I love cooked carrots. However, you can vary the recipe amounts for the carrots and potatoes. You can even leave out the potatoes altogether and make mashed potatoes instead.

Prepare the Meat for Slow-Cooked Beef Stew
I typically use beef chuck roast or sirloin tip for this recipe, but you can substitute other cuts, such as bottom round. To enhance the flavor of this dish, cut the beef into large chunks and roll them in a flour mixture. Brown all sides in a skillet and place them into the slow cooker. The browning will caramelize the beef adding more flavor and a nice color. However, there are times when I don’t have time for this step, and I place the beef roast into the slow cooker without browning it, and it turns out delicious too.




Cook the Onions and Garlic for Slow-Cooked Beef Stew
You also cook the onions and garlic before adding them to the slow cooker. Use the same pan you browned the beef in to saute the onions until they wilt. Add flour and beef stock to deglaze the pan. The flour will thicken the liquids while the beef stew cooks and makes a delicious gravy. Then add everything to the slow cooker and let it do the rest!


Slow Cook on High or Low
Cook this dish on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours–whichever suits your schedule. The finished beef should be tender and easy to pull apart. Even tougher cuts of meat will tenderize in a slow cooker. If it is not tender, cook it a little longer. Remember to adjust the time if you use a beef roast with a different size than what is listed in the recipe. Enjoy!

Other Beef Dishes
If you like this beef dish, here are other recipes you might like:

Slow-Cooked Beef Stew
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 3 pounds chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks (can substitute bottom round or sirloin tip)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- cornstarch (optional)
Instructions
- Add the carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a skillet and heat on medium.
- Stir together the flour and pepper in a medium bowl. Roll the beef chunks in the flour and add a few pieces to the skillet. Brown the beef chunks on all sides, adding more oil if necessary, and then move them to the slow cooker. Save the leftover flour.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into the pan; add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is wilted. Add 3 tablespoons of leftover flour and the salt and stir to mix with the onion. Pour a little beef stock to help deglaze the pan and cook for a minute. Add the vinegar and Worcestershire and stir. Then pour in the rest of the beef stock.
- Pour the onions and stock mixture into the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves and thyme.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours. The beef is done when it breaks apart easily with a fork.
- If you prefer a thicker broth, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and water and stir. Add the mixture to the slow cooker and stir it into the broth. Repeat until the broth reaches the preferred thickness. Salt and pepper to taste.