A hearty and budget-friendly slow cooker beef stew made with simple ingredients, perfect for a comforting meal with tender beef, potatoes, and vegetables simmered to perfection.
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups beef broth
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold water
Season the beef cubes with salt and black pepper.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the beef cubes in batches and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
In the slow cooker, add beef broth, potatoes, carrots, chopped onion, minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and the bay leaf.
Stir to combine all ingredients.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
About 30 minutes before serving, mix the all-purpose flour with cold water in a small bowl until smooth to create a slurry.
Stir the flour slurry into the stew in the slow cooker to thicken the broth.
Cover and cook on high for an additional 30 minutes until the stew thickens.
Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Serve hot and enjoy your hearty slow cooker poor man’s beef stew.