Nothing says comfort food like beef stew. Mom’s Crock Pot Beef Stew is hearty, full of flavor and easy to put together for a busy weeknight or a Sunday night family dinner.
Barbara and I grew up on this beef stew. Our mom fixed it in the oven and served it with homemade bread (or canned biscuits if she was in a hurry). This was a favorite dish of our family on Saturdays in the winter. Our dad loved coming in to the smell of beef stew after working outside on the farm.
However, since it required a longer cooking time, this was a meal that we only had on the weekends as she taught school through the week.
So, Barbara adapted it for the slow cooker and created Mom’s Crock Pot Beef Stew. It still has all the elements of the original, but now you can put it all together before you head out the door in the morning and come home to a warm, filling meal.
If your family are meat and potato eaters, like ours, this is definitely a meal that you need to add to your meal plan.
One note from Barbara…don’t be afraid of the tablespoon of salt in this recipe. It may seem like a lot, but it’s needed, she promises it is OK.
How to Make Mom’s Crock Pot Beef Stew
Full recipe is at the bottom of this post.
Thoroughly spray your slow cooker insert with cooking spray (or use a liner). Layer the beef stew meat, diced onion, diced celery, diced carrots, cubed potatoes in the order listed in your insert. Combine salt and tapioca and then sprinkle on top of other ingredients. Pour tomato juice over the top. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat or boneless beef chuck roast cubed
- 1 onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 6 carrots peeled and diced
- 5 potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons minute tapioca
- 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
- Spray crock pot insert.
- Layer the first five ingredients in order listed.
- Combine salt and tapioca and sprinkle over top.
- Pour tomato juice over the top.
- Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
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Kim says
March 15, 2017 at 9:19 pmWhen making Mom’s Beef Stew, do you need to cook the chuck roast first, before the day of stew? I’m assuming I can cut up the chuck roast as the recipe calls for and it will be fine. I didn’t want to assume though…lol. please let me know when you get a chance. Im thinkimg about making soon
Can you tell me how many this recipe serves, as I am making it for family of 5. One eats like 2, so I dhould say I needt to make for family of six. Thank you for your expertise. Have a good night!
Megan says
March 15, 2017 at 11:52 pmKim – no need to cook the meat ahead of time. Just cube it up and throw it in the crock pot. As long as everyone in your family doesn’t eat like 2 then this recipe should feed you all! Hope you enjoy.
Megan says
March 16, 2017 at 12:59 amKim – Barb also suggest that if you are worried about it not being enough, you can add another potato or a couple carrots and even a bigger piece of meat. The cooking time shouldn’t be affected unless you add a lot more!