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Slow Cooker Wine Braised Beef Stew

Slow cooker wine braised beef stew with tender, fall-apart beef and a glossy red-wine gravy. Brown in batches, simmer the wine briefly, then cook on LOW for 8 hours with carrots and pearl onions.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French-inspired
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef base
  • 3 lb beef chuck Cut into 2-inch cubes.
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1.5 cup dry red wine
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 fresh rosemary 2 sprigs.
  • 3 fresh thyme 3 sprigs.
Vegetables
  • 4 carrots Cut into chunks.
  • 1 cup frozen pearl onions
Serving
  • 1 creamy polenta or mashed potatoes For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Toss the beef chuck with flour, salt, and black pepper until coated. Brown in batches in a hot pan, turning to sear the surfaces, then transfer to the slow cooker.
Build the wine braising base
  1. In the same pan, cook the diced onion, minced garlic, and tomato paste for 3 minutes to soften and deepen in color.
  2. Pour in the dry red wine and scrape the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes, then pour the mixture into the slow cooker.
Slow-cook the stew
  1. Add the beef broth, balsamic vinegar, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, carrots, and frozen pearl onions to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the beef falls apart and the stew looks glossy and thick.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the herb stems and discard them. Serve the wine braised beef stew over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.

Notes

For the deepest flavor, brown the beef in batches without crowding so it actually sears, then deglaze the pan well with the wine by scraping up browned bits. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, swap to a lower-sodium beef broth and serve over polenta made with reduced-fat milk or use mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes.