Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated Dec. 1, 2023

Slow-Cooker Beef Stew
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
10 to 12 hours
Rating
4(4,259)
Comments
Read comments

This super-simple beef stew features spoon-tender chunks of beef and a sauce that gets a deep, dark flavor from stout beer and maple syrup. The recipe calls for carrots, parsnips and potatoes, but feel free to swap in similar quantities of other root vegetables, like turnips and rutabaga, cut into large pieces. But do make sure to avoid precut stew meat from the grocery store, which is often unreliable and cut too small. A chuck roast that you cut yourself is a far better option. You can also make this on the stovetop or in the oven: Season the meat with salt, then sear it in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over high heat in a Dutch oven. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir to combine, cover and simmer on low (or in a 325-degree oven) for 2 to 3 hours until the meat is very tender and move on to step 2.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 3large carrots, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
  • 2large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
  • 2large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
  • 3thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 2rosemary sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 3 to 3½pounds chuck roast, excess fat trimmed, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • ⅓cup stout beer, or beef broth
  • ⅓cup maple syrup
  • 4garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1teaspoon onion powder
  • 1teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3teaspoons balsamic vinegar, preferably aged
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

405 calories; 10 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 866 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, herbs, beef, beer, maple syrup, garlic, onion and garlic powders and 1 teaspoon vinegar in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of pepper. Mix well to combine (feel free to use your hands). Cook on low until the meat and vegetables are very tender, 10 to 12 hours, stirring the stew once if possible; this helps the beef and vegetables cook more evenly, but if it’s not possible, it will be fine.

  2. Step 2

    Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. Serve in shallow bowls with the meat, vegetables and some sauce.

Tip
  • If you have extra time, brown the meat before you start cooking for a richer, more complex flavor: Season it with salt, then work in two batches, searing the meat in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over high heat. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker, and add a few spoonfuls of water or broth to the pan, and scrape up the browned bits. Add those to the slow cooker, too.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
4,259 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Joel

So you're telling me the only added liquid for this "stew" is 1/3 cup beer, 1/3 cup maple syrup, and 3 tsp vinegar. Am I missing something? No broth? No water?

Claire

I’ve got a lot of slow cooker recipes which use very limited liquid. More comes out of the veg and even to some extent the meat and if it’s covered when it goes in, it ends up with loads is liquid and this is when slow cooking seems to sap the flavour out cos it’s basically boiling the food in water. Any more stout in the slow cooker would also be very strong as there’s no alcohol evaporation in a SC. I haven’t made this recipe yet but these amounts correspond to many other SC recipes I’ve seen.

Catherine

I cooked this in my Instant Pot for a dinner party yesterday and it was wonderful. I used this recipe, but adapted the instructions from pressure-cooker stew. I agree that there wasn’t a lot of liquid, but the flavors blended beautifully and it was done in 90 minutes. I browned the meat, then added everything but the vegetables and cooked it on high pressure for 30 minutes. Released steam after 10 minutes. Left it on warm for almost an hour, then added the veg and cooked on high for 3 minutes.

Looseleaf

Like others I made some changes based on what I read. First beef tossed beef in seasoned GF flour, browned in Le Creuset. One sliced onion, deglaze pan w homemade beef broth. Used only 1 tbsp maple syrup. 4 lbs beef served 10. About 1.5 cups broth, no beer, no parsnips. 350 oven for 2.5 hours. Made day ahead and when I went to warm it up there was no sauce so added 2 cups beef broth and it made an excellent sauce. Not a scrap left.

Therese Karsten

I concur with posters who thought it was too sweet. I will 1/2 the maple syrup next time.

Jack

I doubled the garlic, added 1tsp basil and 1tsp oregano, and a chopped white onion. Did a 50/50 split of maple syrup and honey. Lots of salt and pepper. Used all beef stock, but would try Guinness in the future. I cut everything in smaller chunks, probably about 1/2 inch. Cooked about 7 hours on low in the slow cooker.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.