Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Beef Stew
Ingredients:
Serves 6 generously
- 2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth (warmed 1 minute in microwave)
- 1 (1.25 oz) envelope dry onion soup mix
Optional Enhancements:
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions:
Step 1: Layer with Intention
- Place your cubed chuck roast directly into the bottom of your 6-quart slow cooker.
- No need to brown it first—the slow cooking process will render the fat and create all the flavor you need. Scatter the potato chunks and chopped onion loosely over the top of the meat.
- Don’t stir everything together; leaving it in layers allows steam to circulate properly and lets the potatoes absorb flavor from both the broth above and the meat juices below.
Step 2: Bloom Your Broth
- In a liquid measuring cup, warm your beef broth in the microwave for about 1 minute—this helps it dissolve the onion soup mix more easily and prevents slowing down the initial heating process.
- Whisk in the entire envelope of onion soup mix until it’s completely dissolved with no dry granules remaining. If you’re adding optional garlic and thyme, stir them in now.
- Pour this mixture evenly over the layered ingredients, but resist the urge to stir—the liquid will naturally seep downward as everything heats up.
Step 3: Cook with Patience
- Put the lid on and set your slow cooker to LOW for 7-8 hours (ideal for maximum tenderness where the beef literally falls apart at a touch) or HIGH for 4-5 hours if you’re shorter on time.
- Here’s the crucial part: do not lift that lid before at least 6 hours on LOW or 3 hours on HIGH.
- Every single peek releases steam and adds 15-20 minutes to your cook time while disrupting the even circulation that’s doing all the work.
Step 4: Finish with Care
- When your timer goes off, lift the lid and check the beef—it should shred easily with just gentle fork pressure, and the potatoes should be tender when pierced but still holding their shape.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving bowl. If there’s excess fat floating on top of the remaining broth, skim it off with a spoon. Pour the broth over your stew.
- If you want a thicker consistency, whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water until smooth, stir it into the broth in the slow cooker, and cook uncovered on HIGH for 10 minutes until it becomes glossy and slightly thickened.
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