Old-Fashioned Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

This is an updated version of a recipe I posted almost two years ago under "Old-Fashioned Slow-Cooker Pot Roast." At the time, I ended up cutting the beef into chunks rather than cooking the roast whole, which makes it "beef stew," not "pot roast." Oh, toe-MAA-toe, toe MAH-toe, but in correcting the title, I decided to make the dish again for a larger serving and additional photos. 

The ingredients and preparation are essentially the same. Because you just don't mess with old-fashioned goodness. And simplicity.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3-lb beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 each thyme and flat-leaf parsley sprigs, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• 18-20 peeled baby-cut carrots
• 6-8 baby Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 white onions, quartered
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth

Beef Chuck Roast 

Beef Chunks 

Vegetables and Herbs

Preparation

1. Place half the beef chunks in the bottom of the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper. Place 2 each of the herb sprigs and the garlic on top of the beef.

Bottom Layer of Stew

1. Add the remaining beef chunks and top with the carrots, potatoes, onions, and remaining herb sprigs. Season again with salt and pepper.
2. Pour in the beef broth. (The broth may not cover all the vegetables.) 

Carrots, Potatoes, and Onions Added

Broth Added

1. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours.
2. Reduce the heat to low and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer. (Use a pair of tongs to pull out a piece of beef from the bottom to check for tenderness. It should shred easily)

Cooked Beef Stew

To serve, divide the beef and vegetables among 6 shallow bowls and spoon a little juice from the cooker over each, discarding the herb sprigs.

Old-Fashioned Slow-Cooker Beef Stew