Tender beef, a rich sauce and hardly having to watch the pan: this slow cooker stew is ideal for days when you want to eat well but don’t want to cook extensively. By letting the meat cook slowly for hours it becomes wonderfully tender and the spices have plenty of time to infuse the sauce.

For this version we use Beef BBQ Chief. The lightly smoky, spicy flavor pairs well with beef and gives the classic stew a slightly different twist. Nice with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes or simply a good piece of bread. More inspiration? Also check out our easy slow cooker recipes for busy days.

Slow cooker stew in brief

Serves: 4
Preparation: 20 minutes
Slow cooker: 7–8 hours on low or 4–5 hours on high
Total time: about 8 hours
Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

• 800 g beef chuck, rib or blade roast
• 2 tbsp Beef BBQ Chief spice mix
• 2 large onions
• 2 carrots
• 250 g mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp coarse mustard
• 350 ml beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil or butter for frying
• black pepper to taste
• optional salt to taste
• 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water, if you want to thicken the sauce

Optional for a bit more depth:

• 1 tsp apple syrup or honey
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Cut the meat

Cut the beef into large pieces of about 4–5 cm. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper and mix it with the Beef BBQ Chief.

Preferably let it sit for 10 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

2. Prepare the vegetables

Cut the onions into half rings.

Peel the carrots and cut them into firm slices.

Cut the mushrooms into quarters and finely chop the garlic.

3. Sear the meat briefly

Heat oil or butter in a frying pan over high heat.

Brown the beef briefly on all sides in multiple batches. It does not need to be cooked through inside yet.

Searing the meat first gives the stew more roasted flavor. If you really have little time you can skip this step, but for the best result we do recommend it.

Place the seared meat in the slow cooker.

4. Sauté the onion and tomato paste

Turn the heat down a little and sauté the onion for 2–3 minutes in the same pan.

Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute more.

Then stir in the mustard.

Pour a small portion of the stock into the pan and deglaze the browned bits from the bottom. That contains a lot of flavor.

Pour everything into the slow cooker.

5. Fill the slow cooker

Add carrot, mushrooms and bay leaves.

Pour in the rest of the beef stock.

Using apple syrup and balsamic? Add them now as well.

Stir everything briefly together.

The meat does not need to be completely submerged in the liquid. During slow cooking the meat and vegetables will release more liquid.

6. Let the stew cook slowly

Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook:

7–8 hours on LOW

or

4–5 hours on HIGH

The stew is done when you can easily pull the meat apart with a fork.

Try to open the lid as little as possible while cooking.

7. Thicken the sauce if needed

Is the sauce still a bit thin for your taste?

Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water into a smooth paste.

Stir this into the stew and let the dish stand on high for another 15–20 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Remove the bay leaves.

Taste and add black pepper or a little salt if needed.

What to serve with slow cooker stew?

This stew is nice with:

• mashed potatoes;
• boiled or roasted potatoes;
• fries;
• polenta;
• rice;
• crusty bread;
• roasted autumn vegetables.

Want to serve extra vegetables with it? Green beans, red cabbage, broccoli and roasted Brussels sprouts all go well with it.

Why Beef BBQ Chief with stew?

A stew is largely about the flavor that develops during the long cooking time.

Beef BBQ Chief gives the beef a spicy, lightly smoky base. Because the dish cooks for hours in the slow cooker, the spices have plenty of time to spread through the sauce.

The mix therefore works not only as a dry rub for barbecue meat, but also well in slowly cooked beef dishes like this one.

Make this recipe with Beef BBQ Chief

Making slow cooker stew without searing

That’s possible.

Put the meat, vegetables, spices, tomato paste, mustard and stock directly into the slow cooker and then follow the same procedure.

You sacrifice a bit of the roasted flavor that results from searing, but the meat will still become tender.

For a real weekday “everything-in-and-ready” version this is perfectly fine.

Slow cooker stew as meal prep

This recipe is very suitable for cooking ahead.

In fact: stew often tastes even better the next day because the flavors have had more time to meld.

For example, make a double portion right away and use the meat in different ways during the week:

• with mashed potatoes;
• in a loaded baked potato;
• with roasted vegetables;
• in a wrap with crunchy cabbage;
• as filling for a savory pie.

This way you don’t have to eat exactly the same meal for multiple days.

Storing stew

Let the stew cool down after cooking.

Then store it covered in the refrigerator and follow the usual guidelines for storing and reheating cooked meat.

You can also freeze the stew in portions. Let it thaw completely and then reheat thoroughly.

Frequently asked questions about slow cooker stew

1. Which meat is best for slow cooker stew?
Chuck, blade and other cuts of beef suitable for slow stewing work well. Through long cooking they become soft and tender.

2. Does the meat need to be submerged?
No. Little liquid evaporates in a slow cooker and the meat and vegetables also release liquid themselves.

3. Can I put potatoes directly in the slow cooker?
Yes. Use firm potatoes and cut them into not-too-small pieces. Preferably place them at the bottom of the slow cooker.

4. Why is my stew still tough?
Often it simply needs a bit more time. Stew becomes first cooked and only then truly tender as connective tissue slowly breaks down.

5. Can I make this recipe a day in advance?
Yes. This recipe is especially suitable for preparing in advance and reheating later.