Beef Stew Recipe

I’m sharing my beef stew recipe with you today because I’m trying to teach the world to cook from scratch. Most of you already cook from scratch, but I know first hand there are a lot of families that need a little help.

Growing up, it seemed like my mom made stew at least weekly. I expected to see part of Monday’s dinner in Friday’s meals as she gathered up many of the leftovers for a new stew. That’s certainly one approach, but I like planning ahead and having meal ingredients stored on the fridge, freezer, and pantry all ready to go.

This slow cooker recipe makes the best beef stew. It has chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery cooking in gravy all day. It’s still winter where I live, and I love the smell of dinner cooking while I work. Mark and I assembled this recipe for the slow cooker in about 15 minutes.

I confess, I cut the meat portion in half of what the recipe lists. I refuse to cave to the high prices charged for meat these days, and besides, as a family, we are trying to eat less and less meat. We can get plenty of protein from beans, lentils, and vegetables, so those are my target ingredients for meal prep going forward.

I highly recommend serving this dish with French bread or homemade dinner rolls. This way you can soak up the leftover gravy in the bowl. I know, it’s bad manners! Do it when no one is looking! You will love it!

In case you missed this post, Instant Pot® Tender Beef Stew or this post, Dinner Rolls

Item You May Need In The Kitchen:

• Crock Pot
• Potato Peeler
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Good Knife

Beef Stew Recipe

Step One: Gather Ingredients

Gather the ingredients before you start the recipe, it sure makes it easier to put it together.

Step Two: Brown the Meat

I lightly browned the meat in a frying pan before I put it in the slow cooker. I think this step gives the meat some additional flavor, and to me, the meat tends to be a little more tender.

Step Three: Sprinkle Soup & Spices

Sprinkle the onion soup, garlic powder, and paprika evenly over the meat pieces.

Step Four: Add Other Ingredients

Add the chopped potatoes, onions, celery, and carrots.

Step Five: Combine Ketchup and Soup

Combine the ketchup and cream of celery soup until mixed completely.

Step Six: Pour Over Meat & Veggies

Pour this mixture over the meat and vegetable mixture.

Step Seven: Stir Well – Cook

Stir until well-coated. Place the lid on the slow cooker and turn it to low for 8 hours, or until the vegetables are tender and the meat is cooked through.

Finished Product

You may want to stir the stew mixture a few times during the cooking process, but certainly after cooking. Serve with French bread. Enjoy.

Why is stew so popular?

There is nothing quite like a hot bowl of soup or stew on a cold winter day. Whether you fix it homemade, or your favorite brand and variety for the store, they all seem to hit the spot. I like today’s recipe since I know firsthand what is included, and hopefully, since it’s homemade, it won’t have many of the chemicals often found in prepared products.

Is a stew like this considered a healthy meal?

In today’s food culture, meat is often viewed as a no-no. That’s one of the reasons I cut back from what is listed in the recipe. My family likes soups and stews that have a meat component, mainly based on the added flavor. Some skip the meat when they serve it in their bowl.

I make sure I include a significant veggie component whenever I make a meal like this. Note the potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, and tomato-based ketchup. Each adds to the flavor, but also the benefits derived from eating vegetables.

Can I use other ingredients and still call it a stew?

Stews come in all kinds of varieties. I had some stew meat in the freezer, so that’s what was included. You could use other kinds of meat and veggies based on what your family prefers, and also what you have available. Be sure to have a liquid component, or it will tend to be dry and you may have to refer to it as a “hash.” lol

I stress to my readers to have plenty of fruits and veggies as they plan weekly meals. That’s why you see a lot of salads in my recipe inventory. It’s easy to include a wide aray of vegetables with most any meal, whether it’s a casserole, salad, soup, stew, pizza, sandwich, and more. Eat green and live long.

Final Word

If you like easy meals, and love using your slow cooker as part of your busy lifestyle, this recipe is perfect. Also, if you are trying to eat healthy and serve meals your family will enjoy most anytime, but particularly on a cold winter evening, give this one a try. Be adventurous and use different meats, veggies, and spices to your liking. Get the kids involved in the prep and make it fun for everyone.

Let me know how you approach stew making at your house, I’d love to hear. May God bless this world. Linda