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Cozy November Dinner Beef Stew | Easy Crockpot Comfort Food

Cozy November Dinner Beef Stew

A slow-cooked beef stew with tender chuck roast, carrots and potatoes in a thick, savory broth, made easy in the crockpot.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 carrots peeled and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
  • 4 Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1.5-inch chunks
  • 4 cups beef broth low-sodium
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 bay leaves

Method
 

  1. Season and coat the beef: Toss the cubed beef chuck with flour, salt and pepper until every piece is lightly coated. This flour layer helps thicken the broth later.
  2. Brown the beef: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, about 3 minutes per side, until a dark crust forms; avoid crowding the pan.
  3. Transfer beef to crockpot: Move the browned beef into the crockpot. Scrape up any browned bits from the skillet with a splash of broth and pour them in too.
  4. Add vegetables: Layer the onion, garlic, carrots and potatoes over the beef in the crockpot. Tuck in the bay leaves.
  5. Mix the broth: Whisk the beef broth, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the beef and vegetables.
  6. Stir to combine: Give everything one gentle stir so the vegetables settle into the liquid. Make sure the beef is mostly submerged.
  7. Cover and cook on low: Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. Resist lifting the lid, since each peek adds extra cook time.
  8. Check for tenderness: At the 8-hour mark, test a piece of beef with a fork; it should pull apart easily. If it resists, cook another 30 minutes on low.
  9. Stir in the peas: Add the frozen peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking so they stay bright green and don't turn soft.
  10. Remove bay leaves and season: Fish out the bay leaves and discard them. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper as needed.
  11. Ladle and serve: Spoon the stew into bowls, making sure each serving gets a mix of beef, potatoes and carrots. Pair with crusty bread for soaking up the broth.