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Cozy Freezer-to-Crockpot Beef Stew Recipe for Easy Comfort Meals

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A comforting and easy-to-prep beef stew made with simple ingredients, perfect for slow cooking in a crockpot. Ideal for busy weeknights or make-ahead freezer meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes (preferably chuck roast)
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (Yukon Gold or Russet)
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 large onion, diced (yellow or white)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Peel and chop carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion. Mince garlic. Cut beef into 1-inch cubes if not pre-cut.
  2. In a large bowl, toss beef cubes with flour, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
  3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Brown beef in batches until all sides have a deep golden crust.
  4. Transfer browned beef to the crockpot insert.
  5. Layer carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and garlic evenly over the beef.
  6. Add beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir gently to combine.
  7. Nestle bay leaves into the stew and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Cover crockpot and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are soft but not mushy.
  9. Remove bay leaves. If stew is too thin, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into stew; cook on HIGH for 15 more minutes to thicken.
  10. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve warm.

Notes

Brown the beef before slow cooking to develop rich flavor. Avoid stirring too often during cooking to maintain texture. Use cornstarch slurry to thicken if needed. For freezer prep, freeze raw ingredients (except broth and seasonings) in a bag and add liquids before cooking.

Nutrition

Keywords: beef stew, crockpot, slow cooker, freezer meal, comfort food, easy dinner, make ahead, hearty stew

Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/cozy-freezer-to-crockpot-beef-stew-recipe-for-easy-comfort-meals/