Pioneer Woman slow cooker beef stew from The Pioneer Woman site layers raw stew meat under a red wine and tomato paste broth with carrots, celery, mushrooms, and thyme. And the stew serves 6 to 8 at approximately 380 calories per serving in about 4 hours and 10 minutes on high, since the slow cooker handles everything after 10 minutes of prep.
Most beef stew recipes sear the meat on the stovetop before the braise, but this version skips the sear entirely and places the raw beef at the bottom of the slow cooker closest to the heating element. So the meat cooks from the hottest spot up, and the tomato paste, wine, and Worcestershire compensate for the fond you would normally build in a hot pan.
Whisking the flour into the cold broth before pouring it over the beef is the step that thickens the stew into a gravy without clumps. And if you sprinkle dry flour over the meat or stir it into hot liquid, the starch seizes into lumps that never dissolve no matter how long the slow cooker runs.
Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Course: BeefCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings10
minutes4
hours380
kcalRaw stew meat goes into the base of a slow cooker before a whisked mixture of beef stock, red wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire, flour, and garlic pours over. Then onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and thyme sprigs layer on top, and 4 to 5 hours on high turns everything tender and thick.
Ingredients
- For the stew:
2 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat
1 1/2 cups beef stock
3/4 cup red wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
4 sprigs thyme
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. whole mushrooms (white or baby bella), halved
Kosher salt, to taste
- For serving:
Cooked wide egg noodles or mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Place the beef: Add the stew meat to the base of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Whisk the broth: Then in a large measuring cup, whisk together the beef stock, red wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire, flour, garlic, seasoned salt, and pepper.
- Pour over the beef: Once whisked smooth, pour the liquid mixture over the meat.
- Layer the vegetables: Then add the thyme sprigs followed by the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms on top.
- Cook on high or low: Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours, or low for 7 to 8 hours, stirring halfway through.
- Remove the thyme: Once the beef is tender, pull out the thyme sprigs and discard them.
- Season and serve: Then taste for salt and pepper, ladle over egg noodles or mashed potatoes, and sprinkle with parsley.
FAQs
Do I need to brown the stew meat first?
The source page says browning is not necessary for this recipe, and the tomato paste, red wine, Worcestershire, and mushrooms build enough savory depth to compensate. Since the raw beef sits at the bottom of the slow cooker closest to the heat, it still develops tenderness over the 4 to 5 hours.
But if you have an extra 10 minutes, searing the cubes in a hot skillet before adding does boost the flavor further. Since the fond from searing gives the broth a caramelized base that the slow cooker alone cannot replicate, it is an optional upgrade worth the effort when time allows.
Is it better to cook on high or low?
The source page says high for 4 to 5 hours works for an afternoon start, and low for 7 to 8 hours fits a workday timeline. And both temperatures yield tender beef, so the choice comes down to your schedule.
But if the meat is still tough after the full cook time, the source page recommends continuing for another 30 to 60 minutes before testing again. Since stew meat varies in connective tissue, some batches need more time than others regardless of the heat setting.
Why do the vegetables go on top instead of at the bottom?
Placing the beef at the base keeps it closest to the heating element, where the temperature is highest in most slow cookers. And the vegetables cook more gently on top, which prevents them from turning to mush while the tougher meat breaks down.
If you reversed the order, the carrots and celery would dissolve before the beef reached tender, and the stew would lose its chunky texture. Since the pioneer woman pulled pork uses the same bottom-placement strategy for the roast, the principle applies to any slow cooker recipe with mixed proteins and vegetables.
What sides pair well with beef stew?
The source page suggests wide egg noodles or mashed potatoes for serving, and both soak up the thick wine-enriched gravy at the bottom of the bowl. And crusty bread works too, since it tears into pieces that catch the sauce.
For a full Pioneer Woman comfort food spread, the pioneer woman green bean casserole adds a cheesy vegetable side that contrasts the hearty stew. But skip heavy starchy sides beyond the noodles or potatoes, because the flour-thickened broth already makes each bowl filling on its own.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
The stew keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and the flavors deepen overnight as the wine, tomato paste, and thyme meld further. Then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low until simmering, adding a splash of beef stock if the flour-thickened broth has tightened too much.
And the stew freezes well for up to 3 months, though the mushrooms soften further after thawing. Since the vegetables hold up better than noodles in storage, freeze the stew without the egg noodles and cook them fresh when reheating.
