Go Back

Pioneer Woman Crockpot Beef Stew

Pioneer Woman crockpot beef stew with fork-tender beef and tender carrots and baby potatoes simmered low-and-slow in a red wine broth. Browned stew meat first for deep flavor, then let everything cook until thick and hearty.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Soups, Stews & Chili
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef stew meat
  • 3 lb beef stew meat
Flour
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
Seasonings
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
Fats
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
Aromatics
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
Stew liquid and flavor
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 cup beef broth
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Vegetables
  • 5 carrots sliced
  • 1.5 lb baby potatoes halved
Garnish
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Toss the beef stew meat with all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Brown the beef in batches in the olive oil and butter until deeply browned, then transfer it to the crockpot.
Build the flavor in the pan
  1. Cook the diced onion and minced garlic in the same pan for 3 minutes, stirring, until softened. Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom, then simmer for 2 minutes before transferring everything to the crockpot.
Slow-cook the stew
  1. Stir in the tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, dried thyme, sliced carrots, and halved baby potatoes to coat everything evenly. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
  2. Season the stew to taste and top with chopped fresh parsley right before serving.

Notes

For the best texture, don’t rush the browning—work in batches so the beef actually sears, then transfer every browned bit along with the wine. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3-4 days; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until hot. Freezing is yes: freeze up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use low-sodium beef broth and reduce added salt accordingly.