Crock Pot Beef Stew for Two

This Crock Pot Beef Stew recipe is bursting with onions, carrots, potatoes, celery, garlic and tender melt in your mouth beef stew meat all nested together in a red wine reduction sauce with just a bit of kick.

Course main meal beef

Cuisine American

Keyword beef stew crock pot recipes, easy crock pot beef stew, how to make beef stew in crock pot

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 7

Total Time 7 15

Servings servings

Calories 710kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

¾ lb beef stew meat
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 carrots cut in chunks
2 potatoes cut in chunks
1 stalk celery chopped
½ cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning more or less to taste
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf

Instructions

In large Ziploc bag combine flour, pepper, salt and garlic powder. Add stew meat and shake to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add coated stew meat and cook to brown all sides. Remove from heat and add to crock pot.
Heat 1-2 more tablespoons vegetable oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until lightly browned on the edges; approximately 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for additional 1 minute; stirring constantly. Add to crock pot on top of beef.
Using same skillet add wine over medium low heat working to loosen browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the wine by 1/2 while continuing to stir. Add Worcestershire sauce. beef broth, Cajun seasoning, cumin and bay leaf, Simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour wine/broth mixture over beef and onions in the crock pot.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours adding carrots, potatoes and celery halfway through the cooking process. Cook just until meat and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf.

Notes

If time allows do not skip the flouring and browning of the stew meat. It adds flavor, dimension and really helps thicken the sauce.
You can substitute more low sodium beef broth in place of the wine however keep in mind that it will take longer to reduce.
Cajun seasoning adds a lot of flavor without being overly spicy nonetheless if you have a sensitive palate reduce to 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon.
Need to add everything at the same time? Then add the potatoes, carrots and celery to the crock pot at the same time that you add the beef. They will be pretty soft at the end of the cooking cycle but they will still be delicious.
When your meat and vegetables turn tender move the temperature to warm to keep from overcooking your meal.

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