There’s something deeply satisfying about coming home to the smell of a rich, hearty beef stew that’s been quietly bubbling away all day. This slow cooker version is wonderfully simple — just 20 minutes of prep in the morning, and by dinnertime you have a deeply flavoured, fall-apart tender stew that tastes like it took all day. Because it did.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
• 1kg beef chuck or gravy beef, cut into 4cm chunks
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 cup red wine (or an extra cup of beef stock if you prefer)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve
Method
1. Brown the beef: Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Season the beef chunks generously with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour. Brown the beef in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until a deep crust forms. Don’t crowd the pan — this step builds the flavour base. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
2. Soften the onion and garlic: In the same pan, reduce heat to medium and cook the onion for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for another minute, stirring. Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour this mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
3. Add the vegetables: Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary to the slow cooker. Give everything a gentle stir to combine.
4. Cook low and slow: Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4–5 hours. The beef should be completely tender and falling apart when done.
5. Adjust and serve: Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. If you’d like a thicker gravy, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes on HIGH. Serve in deep bowls, garnished with fresh parsley, alongside crusty bread or steamed rice.
Tips
• The flour dusting on the beef helps thicken the gravy naturally as it cooks.
• This stew tastes even better the next day — the flavours deepen overnight in the fridge.
• Leftovers freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
Approximate Time
Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 8 hours on low (or 4–5 hours on high). Serves 4–6 people generously.