Slow Cooker Beef Mushroom Stew Recipe

This simple and cozy Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Mushrooms is a hearty and comforting meal you and the whole family will love. Melt in your mouth, tender beef, big chunks of vegetables, sautéed mushrooms and a flavorful beef broth that will make any chilly night a little bit warmer! Enjoy with a loaf of your favorite bread!

This post is sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting beef farmers!

Nothing warms the body like a big bowl of beef stew. And I am so excited to share this new recipe because it’s one we love so much! Celebrating what we call “Crocktober” with my friends at Ohio Beef Council for all the cozy beef recipes we love!

Once the cold weather hits, we make lots of beef chili and pot roasts but there is just something about this mushroom beef stew that beats it all for me. The thick, red wine based broth makes this chunky soup like meal a dream! It’s the ultimate comfort food!

Did you know that 97 percent of beef ranches are family-owned and operated? Meet one of Ohio’s 17,000 beef farming families at www.OhioBeef.org!

Why You Will Love This Beef Mushroom Stew:

• It’s so simple to make. Aside from searing the meat and sautéing the onions and mushrooms, this stew is a matter of dumping all the ingredients and walking away. And to be fair, if you are having one of those super lazy days, you can literally dump everything in and skip any of the stove top steps and you will still have some tasty mushroom beef stew!
• Hearty flavor and packed with chunks. The big chunks of meat and other ingredients really set any stew apart from soup. It’s certainly more than just soup! Big chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms–so good! The rich broth or sauce is so flavorful thanks to a combination of meat juices, broth, wine, balsamic vinegar and more!
• Easy to make ahead. You can make this dish a day ahead of time if desired and allow it to chill overnight and then warm it up the following day when ready to serve. It will still taste amazing and has even more flavor as the flavors have had even more time to soak in.
• A cost effective beef meal. Chuck is a beef cut that is very affordable. It goes a long way! The remaining ingredients are also very low cost and with high grocery prices, a meal that can fill you up without breaking the bank is a great option!

Recipe Ingredients:

• beef: while you can typically find already cut stew meat in the meat section of the grocery, buying a boneless beef chuck roast is strongly suggested for this beef mushroom stew. Its a very affordable cut and it has nice marbling but isn’t overly fatty. It is a great cut for slow cooking and becomes more fork tender from the long slow cooking time. Buying this cut allows you more control over the meat in the recipe.
• flour: a touch of flour added to your beef chunks when searing can add a layer of flavor and texture to the overall recipe. You do not have to use it if not preferred. You can also use a gluten free all purpose flour in place of regular flour if needed.
• olive oil: used for searing the beef before adding to the dish. If you have a preferred cooking oil, you can use that instead.
• onion: yellow onion/ sweet onions are the most common onion used in stews. It is our preferred onion in this recipe.
• carrots: Thick carrots will work best as they will not come out too mushy. Using baby or petite carrots in this recipe is not recommended.
• mushrooms: white or button mushrooms are what was used in this recipe. They are easy to find in the store and hold up really well even after slow cooking for many hours. There are many different kinds of mushrooms and if you have another on hand you would like to add, that can certainly be a bonus!
• potatoes: yukon gold or baby yukon (also known as baby gold) potatoes are best in slow cooked stew. Baby potatoes were used so no extra chopping or cutting is necessary. You can use the full sized and cut them into quarters. Red potatoes can work as well.
• red wine: pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon are the most popular wines to cook beef stew in. The pinot noir is much lighter which is our preference normally for cooking. Cabernet is bolder and will bring a stronger flavor to the broth. Merlot is another option as well. If you prefer not to use the wine, just add some extra broth instead.
• broth: beef broth is preferred for the best flavor. I like to use low or no sodium broth so the stew does not come out too salty. Beef stock could work in this recipe as well. We have all been there–need broth and grab the stock instead, but no worries at all!
• balsamic: just a touch of balsamic vinegar adds an extra layer of flavor in this stew recipe.
• Worcestershire: adds a more savory flavor to the recipe. If you don’t have any, another option is to add some soy sauce. The flavor will be different overall but will add another element to it.
• garlic: freshly minced garlic is ideal in this recipe. If you don’t have any available, opt for about 3/4 – 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
• seasoning: thyme and oregano along with some salt and pepper add flavor to the meat and balance well with all of the other ingredients. While I use dried herbs, I also often like to add in some fresh thyme if I have some around. You can add fresh herbs when serving as well.
• tomato paste: this will help thicken up the broth or some call it sauce of the stew. The tomato flavor is also a great addition!
• corn starch: this with water makes the broth in this beef mushroom stew recipe nice and thick, almost gravy like before serving. Some prefer to use flour but corn starch is our go to thickener.
• butter: optional, but a touch of butter melted in just before serving makes for a richer sauce

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• If your beef is not already cut, trim the excess fat and cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces. Place in a ziplock bag. Top the meat with flour, salt and pepper and shake to evenly coat the pieces of beef.
• Chop the carrots and add them, along with the potatoes to the bottom of the crockpot. Chop the onion and mushrooms and set aside.
• Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until glistening. Working in batches, sear the beef chunks for about 2 minutes per side to get a nice brown crisp outside. Remove from the skillet and add the browned meat to the crockpot over top of the vegetables.
• After searing the beef, lower the heat to about medium and add the onion and mushrooms. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes to lightly brown the mushrooms. You don’t need to cook these for long, but doing this first will add more flavor to the dish.
• Add the onions and mushrooms along with the tomato paste, broth, red wine, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper (as desired), balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire. Gently stir to combine.
• Cook on low for about 7-8 hours or until the beef is fork tender and easily comes apart and vegetables are soft.
• Whisk together the corn starch and water until smooth and all the corn starch is dissolved. Slowly add to the crock pot and stir in to combine. The broth will thicken more as it sits in the mixture. Enjoy!

Beef Slow Cooking Tips:

• Avoid over-crowding. Only fill the slow cooker halfway or 2/3 full for best results.
• You can preheat your crockpot and it is a great idea to do so! Give the slow cooker 20 minutes to warm up before adding ingredients.
• Don’t open the slow cooker once you begin cooking. Keeping the lid shut prevents heat from escaping, which could lead to slowing the cooking process.
• Use large, tough cuts of beef, like chuck roasts, for slow cooking.The low-temperature, slow-cooking process allows the fat to break down, resulting in a tender, flavorful meal. Beef prepared in a slow cooker should be cooked to 160 degrees or until fork tender.

Storage Instructions:

This beef and mushrooms stew is even better as leftovers if you ask me! Store it in an airtight container for about 4 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze this dish in a freezer safe, airtight container for up to 3 months. If freezing, allow it to cool before placing in the freezer.

Visit www.OhioBeef.org, and follow the Ohio Beef Council on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for beef nutrition facts, cooking tips, recipes and to meet Ohio’s beef farming families. Use #OhioBeef to share photos of your slow cooker meals this Crocktober!

Other Beef Recipes:

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