New England Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe: Hearty, tender beef stew simmers all day long in the slow cooker. Rich gravy with tender beef, carrots, onions and potatoes. This easy and delicious stew is on our regular dinner menu rotation all winter long and my boys love it.
A Nor’easter descended on us here in New England earlier in the week. Snow was expected in large quantities. As you may know, we get kind of excited around here. To us, a snowstorm is the perfect opportunity to stay in, hunker down and enjoy family time. Good books, movies, popcorn, hot chocolate. That’s what was on the menu.
Unfortunately those of us in southern New Hampshire didn’t get much snow out of the storm this time around. It was more like sleet, rain and ice. And thankfully, we never lost power. But it still made for a great bonus day inside and the boys were thrilled for a day off from school. This New England Slow Cooker Beef Stew was simmering all day.
A snow day is the perfect day for beef stew. It smells divine as the aroma wafts through the house. (So tempting!) You want to snatch a little morsel as it simmers…and hope no one comes around the corner to catch you redhanded!
The stew meat is tender, as are the veggies. The rich gravy is perfectly seasoned with Worcestershire, minced garlic, paprika and a surprise ingredient: ketchup! A dash of allspice adds flavor.
This New England Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe is a great dish to come together and enjoy around the table as twilight sets in and the shoveling, sledding and snow ball fights are over.
Sear the beef in batches on the stovetop over high heat for several minutes. Turn often, ’til the meat is no longer pink. Add it to the slow cooker. (And don’t wash that frying pan! The meat juices, drippings and little brown bits are essential for the gravy you’ll be making next.)
Combine gravy ingredients in the frying pan and bring to a boil until just thickened. Add chopped veggies to the seared beef in the slow cooker, distributing evenly. Pour gravy over all. Cover and cook on low heat for seven to eight hours.
This New England Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe smells and tastes absolutely delicious! It’s what we love in our bowls at dinnertime on a frigid, snowy day. Hope you try this recipe and let me know how you like it!
(This recipe was adapted from an ancient Better Homes and Gardens beef stew recipe.)
New England Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beef chuck or stew meat cut in 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups hot water
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- dash of ground allspice or cloves
- 1/4 cup water mixed with 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 4 potatoes peeled and quartered
- 3 large onions peeled and quartered lengthwise
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in large frying pan over medium high heat.
- Sear (brown on the outside only) stew meat in batches, turning often.
- Place browned meat in 3 quart crockpot.
- DON'T WASH THE FRYING PAN!
- Separately, in frying pan, combine worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, bay leaf, salt, paprika, hot water, pepper, allspice and ketchup. Whisk well and bring to a boil.
- Combine 1/4 cup water with 1 tablespoon flour.
- Whisk flour mixture into the boiling gravy. Boil for one minute, stirring all the while.
- Remove from heat.
- Place all prepared vegetables in the crockpot, mix well with a large spoon.
- Pour gravy over all.
- Cook on low in covered 3 quart crockpot for seven - eight hours, stirring several times throughout.
Notes
For thicker gravy, add an extra tablespoon flour to gravy mixture.
You may also like: Apple Cider Caramelized Onion Soup
Julie says
yum…we’re thinking alike girl!! told my kids tomorrow was a homemade cinnamon bread (with vanilla butter!) kina day!! Let it snow!!
Allie Taylor says
Ooooooo….cinnamon bread!!! vanilla butter???? We need to talk!
nancy mcmahan says
WINTER is always an excuse for soups or stews for us in the south since we don’t get much, if any, snow. Thanks for another version.
denise horrocks says
printing it out and making it tonight! (no snow here….so I will enjoy it vicariously through you! Pictures would be great.. hint hint!) xoxo
Jen says
WOW! I can smell the fragrance of this cooking! OOH, BOY!
Denise says
That looks so yummy! Recipe being called Allie’s beef stew coming soon to my house!
Barbara B. says
Miss Allie,
I wished my Mother cooked meals like you do!!!!!!!!
Miss Carole
Bresca says
We just made this today while we were home for a snow day, and then shared it with aunt and uncle, cousins and grandparents. YUM! (Someone recommended to double the gravy mixture, so we tried it that way, and it worked fine to make it a little more like soup.)
Aster says
It was delicious!!!
Denise Q. says
I just made this stew and it is absolutely the best beef stew ever! So easy and your family and friends will thank you for it! I just made major points with my husband!!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
Allie, it hasn’t been that cold down here in Georgia with temps hovering around the mid 50s today – but, we are still enjoying our soups and stews! I bet this one smelled WONDERFUL – and awesome tip about sopping up every last bit of those flavors out of that frying pan!
Hoping you guys have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend!
Carina says
Love slow-cooker meals! I tend to use it often when I cook, as I love the convenience of it and the results. Will have to try this recipe. Ice storms can be a bit worrisome, very glad that it didn’t cause damage and that you guys got a cozy snow day out of it. Take care! ??
Allie says
Hey thanks Carina, hope you all enjoy this stew! We’ve had some stormy days and then it warms up again, so right now we have almost no snow to speak of on the ground. A girl can dream! Have a great week my friend. XO
Susie Mandel says
A tasty and hearty stew for a rainy day down here in the south–yummm!
Allie says
Thanks Susie!!! Hope you enjoy it.
Kathy says
I can’t wait to try this! Thanks, Allie! Glad you got through the nor’easter OK… 🙂
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Sorry you guys didn’t get a ton of snow, but at least the ice and cold weather was still a great excuse to cozy up and stay inside. It’s been unseasonably warm here this winter… and I’m not loving it. BUT, what I am loving is this stew! Meat and ‘taters in a creamy gravy based stew is total comfort food at its best!! This looks just amazing, girlfriend! Cheers to you and a wonderful weekend!
Judy says
This is one terrific recipe! I’ll be making it again next week to take to a friend along with Mile High Buttermilk Biscuits! I already know to double this recipe — it’s a winner! XOXO
Allie says
Thanks Mama, what a delicious lunch! XO
Karla @Small Town Rambler says
Allie, this looks SOOOO good! I love beef stew, especially during this cold weather. Thanks for this recipe…I can’t wait to share it with my friends and family!
Karen (Back Road Journal_ says
I love a good beef stew and it doesn’t even have to be a cold day to enjoy it. Love your great photo, it makes me wish I could take a bit of it right now.
Gaila says
Allie!! I hope you guys get snow the next time arround!!! you stew looks delicious! comfort food all the way!! Have a great weekend!
Kellie says
I am making this today!!!! Yum!!!
Allie says
Awesome Kellie – hope you guys love it!!! Have a wonderful weekend my friend!
Adina says
I absolutely love a good beef stew and this one looks so inviting I am drooling right now. 🙂 I love that sauce and the glaze and the meat looks so tender. I don’t have a slow cooker but I would not mind attempting this in the regular way.