Making Slow Cooker Beef Stew is an absolute life-saver when you need to make a hearty and comforting meal for the family but don’t have as much time as what’s typically required for traditional stovetop beef stew.
Prep the Meat. Start by trimming the excess fat off and cutting the beef into 1 ½ inch cubes. Season the meat with salt and black pepper.
Heat up vegetable oil in a heavy bottom large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef chunks until well golden brown (about 4-5 minutes on both sides for a 1-2 inch chunk).
Transfer the seared chunks into 4.5-quart slow cooker along with the browned bits from the pan.
Add the veggies (potato, carrot, mushrooms, onion). Sprinkle with spices. In a small bowl or measuring cup mix beef broth, tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Pour in the slow cooker and add 2 bay leaves.
Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH 4 hours. After that taste for seasoning and add more salt/pepper if necessary.
Thicken the stew: Take out 2 cups of broth liquid from the slow cooker and add ½ cup of all purpose flour in batches, whisk well until combined before adding the flour each time. If any lumps occur, carefully remove them with a spoon.