Take the time up front to make a thick gravy and you’ll love how rich and delicious it makes this slow-cooked stew. Even though the caraway is optional, we recommend giving it a try- it’s a simple way to add something special to a classic.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 8 hr 40 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 8 hr 20 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for coating
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound small white potatoes, halved
- 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, halved
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
- 1/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped
- Sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Toss the beef with the paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Coat in flour and shake off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook undisturbed until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, turning the beef as needed, until mostly browned, about 3 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the beef to the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker; add the potatoes, mushrooms, carrots and onions and stir to combine.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and stir until the oil begins to turn brick-red, about 1 minute. Add the flour and wine and whisk until thick (it’s OK if there are some lumps). Add the beef broth, thyme, caraway if using, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and bring to a simmer, whisking; continue simmering and whisking until the gravy is smooth and thick, about 4 minutes.
- Pour the gravy into the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 hours. The meat and vegetables should be tender.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Serve the stew in bowls with dollops of sour cream and a sprinkle of paprika.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 254 |
| Total Fat | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 23 g |
| Cholesterol | 58 mg |
| Sodium | 646 mg |
Reviews
This Stew is delicious. Crock Pot cooking is a time saver
Hearty and flavorful
I had made this one before and it came out a little bland, so this time I added a teaspoon of garlic salt and two table spoons of Worcestershire sauce into the gravy. It came out delicious!
Delicious! I cooked it for four hours on high heat and added 2T of Worcestershire and an extra cup of broth. Sooooo good!
I made this for our dinner last night on Christmas Eve and it was so wonderful. The caraway seeds add so much depth to the flavor. Will definitely make this again!!
Very good, and quite easy. My only changes were using boneless beef ribs, which were what I had on hand. Cooked on low for 7 hours, everything was done perfectly. Definitely a keeper.
Best beef stew that I’ve ever made or had. Added the optional caraway and that was interesting. Throughout the day you smelled the caraway but as it continued to cook the seeds dissolved and the flavor was subtly perfect. The gravy was so flavorful and silky. Our normally picky teens who weren’t keen to learn beef stew was for dinner gobbled it up and asked me to make it again.
Super simple and delicious. Perfect for a rainy Saturday.
I’ve made this recipe many times and it is a favorite in my house. Some reviewers said it lacked flavor, so if you like more heat, use smoked paprika instead of sweet and definitely use the caraway seeds and good red wine with some depth to its flavor (not cooking wine). I skip the mushrooms and add celery sometimes. Always a crowd pleaser!
This is just what I have been looking for. This will be on our table this week.