Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe | VitaClay

There’s something deeply comforting about a pot of rich, slow-cooked beef stew—tender beef, savory herbs, sweet pearl onions, and a flavorful broth coming together into one cozy meal.

This recipe, created by @axelbandkitchen, puts the VitaClay Nourishong Pot to work for a classic beef stew. Browning the beef first builds a savory foundation, while slow cooking allows the flavors to come together and the chuck roast to become wonderfully tender.

Serve it with crusty bread, creamy mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles for an easy comfort-food dinner.

Serves: Approximately 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 7–8 hours on Low or 4–5 hours on High

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup pearl onions, peeled
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon flour, for thickening

Directions

1. Brown the beef. Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef cubes on all sides. Transfer the browned beef to your VitaClay pot.
2. Build the flavor. In the same skillet, sauté the chopped onion until softened. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
3. Combine everything. Transfer the onion mixture to the VitaClay pot. Add the pearl onions, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper.
4. Slow cook until tender. Cook using the appropriate slow-cooking setting for your VitaClay model until the beef is fork-tender. The original recipe calls for approximately 7–8 hours on Low or 4–5 hours on High.
5. Thicken the stew. About 30 minutes before serving, whisk 1 tablespoon of flour with a few tablespoons of hot broth from the pot until completely smooth. Stir the mixture back into the stew and continue cooking until the broth has thickened to your liking.
6. Serve warm. Ladle into bowls and enjoy with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles.

• VitaClay note: Cooking programs and times can vary by VitaClay model. Follow the settings recommended in your specific VitaClay manual and adjust cooking time as needed for tenderness.

Why We Love This Recipe

Chuck roast is made for slow cooking. Given enough time, this hardworking cut transforms into tender, savory bites that soak up the flavors of beef broth, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.

And this is exactly the kind of meal we love seeing made in VitaClay: simple ingredients, gentle cooking, and a warm dinner meant to be shared around the table.

Cook • Nourish • Gather • Thrive

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Recipe and original post by @axelbandkitchen