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Crock Pot Shipwreck Stew

Crock Pot shipwreck stew with layered potatoes, onions, kidney beans, and uncooked rice simmered until tender in a smoky tomato-beef broth. Slow-cooked low-and-slow for a hearty, spoon-tender texture with distinct layers you can see before stirring.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Stew base
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Brown and drain before layering.
  • 4 Yukon Gold potatoes Thinly sliced.
  • 1 onion Thinly sliced.
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans Drained and rinsed.
  • 0.5 cup long grain white rice Uncooked.
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Layer in the slow cooker
  1. Layer the thinly sliced Yukon Gold potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker, forming an even base.
  2. Add a layer of thinly sliced onion on top of the potatoes so the layers stay visible.
  3. Add the drained and rinsed kidney beans and then spread the uncooked long grain white rice over the onion as the next layer.
  4. Spread the browned and drained ground beef evenly over the rice to distribute it in one layer.
Mix and pour the sauce
  1. Whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
  2. Pour the sauce over everything without stirring, so the potatoes, rice, beans, and beef remain layered.
Cook and serve
  1. Cook on low for 7–8 hours until the potatoes and rice are cooked through and the surface looks thick and bubbling at the edges.
  2. Stir gently just before serving, then serve while hot with the layers mostly integrated but still hearty.

Notes

For best texture, keep the sauce pouring gentle and avoid stirring during cooking—this preserves the layered structure. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a covered container; reheat until steaming throughout. Freezing is yes: cool completely, freeze up to 2 months, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef or substitute half the beef with extra mushrooms while keeping the same soup and broth amounts.