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stew meat crock pot

Stew Meat Crock Pot

Tender, fall-apart beef chuck slow-simmered with carrots, potatoes, and a rich balsamic-Dijon broth — an easy, hands-off crock pot beef stew.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 lb beef chuck roast cut into chunks
  • 1 lb carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 large russet potatoes peeled and chopped
  • 1 sweet onion diced
  • celery a few ribs, chopped
  • mushrooms halved (optional)
  • flour for coating the beef
  • oil a drizzle, for browning
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1/2 cup red wine optional
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp garlic minced
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch for thickening
  • 2 tbsp water or hot stock to mix with the thickener
  • frozen peas for serving (optional)

Equipment

  • Slow cooker (crock pot) 6-quart or larger
  • Large skillet for browning the beef and building the sauce
  • Whisk for making the arrowroot or cornstarch slurry

Method
 

  1. Brown the beef: Coat the beef chuck pieces in flour. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in small batches on all sides, transferring each browned batch to the slow cooker.
  2. Layer the vegetables: Place the carrots and mushrooms on top of the browned beef in the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Build the sauce: In the same skillet, add the diced onion and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Pour in the beef broth and red wine if using, then stir in the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic. Pour the sauce over the contents of the slow cooker and top with the fresh rosemary sprigs.
  4. Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the beef shreds easily with two forks.
  5. Thicken the sauce: Near the end of cooking, whisk the arrowroot powder or cornstarch with the water (or a cup of hot stock from the cooker) until smooth, then stir the slurry into the stew and let it thicken.
  6. Finish and serve: Stir in the frozen peas during the last 10 minutes if using. Serve hot, on its own or over mashed potatoes or cauliflower.

Notes

Beef chuck roast amount is a range (2-3 lbs) per the source article; ingredient list uses this range as text rather than an averaged number. Cook time reflects the LOW slow-cooker setting (7-8 hours, minimum entered); you can instead cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours if you're short on time, though LOW gives the most tender result. Calories are estimated at 380 kcal per serving for the regular version. Nutrition varies based on ingredients and portion size. If you skip the potatoes and use a paleo-friendly thickener like arrowroot. This recipe also works in a Dutch oven (brown beef, build sauce, then cover and bake at 300°F for about 3 hours) or on the stovetop (simmer gently for 2-3 hours in a heavy pot) or in an Instant Pot (sauté, then pressure cook about 40 minutes). Avoid lifting the lid while slow cooking — each peek adds 15-20 minutes to the total time. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.