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Pioneer Woman Crockpot Beef Stew

Pioneer Woman crockpot beef stew with fork-tender beef, tender carrots, and halved baby potatoes in a rich red wine gravy. The method browns stew meat in oil and butter, then slow-cooks on LOW 8 hours for deep, chunky flavor.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Soups, Stews & Chili
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef stew meat
  • 3 lb beef stew meat
Flour and seasonings
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
Fats
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
Aromatics
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
Red wine and tomato
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
Broth and flavor boosters
  • 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 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown and build the stew
  1. Toss beef with flour, salt, and black pepper. Brown the beef in batches in olive oil and butter, then transfer to the crockpot.
  2. Cook the diced onion and minced garlic in the same pan for 3 minutes. Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits, then simmer for 2 minutes and add to the crockpot.
Slow-cook
  1. Stir in tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, dried thyme, sliced carrots, and halved baby potatoes. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender with visible tender vegetables.
  2. Season to taste and top with chopped fresh parsley. Let the stew sit briefly after cooking so the surface settles, then serve hot with a chunky spoonful.

Notes

For the best texture, don’t crowd the beef when browning—work in batches so the surfaces actually sear before slow-cooking. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days in a covered container; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming. Freeze up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). Dietary swap: use gluten-free all-purpose flour for dredging to keep the stew gluten-free.