I discovered this recipe on a blustery autumn afternoon when the wind was howling and my kitchen felt too quiet. I craved something that would fill the house with a sense of warmth and welcome, something that would cook itself while I went about my day. As soon as the first onions hit the hot oil and that savory, sweet scent filled the air, I knew I was in for a treat. The real magic, though, happened hours later when I lifted the slow cooker lid to a cloud of fragrant steam and found the most tender, deeply flavorful beef and mushroom stew I’d ever made. It’s become my go-to comfort food, a hug in a bowl that never fails to make my family gather around the table with happy anticipation.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into thick coins
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dry red wine (like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
- 3 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A quick note on a few key players: Don’t skip browning the beef—it’s the single biggest flavor booster here, I promise. For the wine, use something you’d actually drink; the quality shines through. If you prefer not to cook with wine, you can substitute with an equal amount of additional beef broth, but trust me, the wine adds a wonderful depth. And while white button mushrooms work, I find cremini (or baby bellas) have a meatier, richer flavor that holds up beautifully to the long cook time.(See the next page below to continue…)