Description
Enjoy a hearty and comforting Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Beef Stew. This easy recipe combines tender beef with sweet honey, savory garlic, and fresh vegetables for a flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
- 3 medium potatoes, diced into uniform cubes
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, diced (choose either red or green for color)
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sear the Beef: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the beef chuck cubes to the skillet, searing them on all sides until they develop a rich, browned crust (about 4-5 minutes per batch). This step is essential for enhancing the depth of flavor. Once browned, transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
- Cook the Aromatics: With the skillet still over medium heat, add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and aromatic. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, mixing it with the seared beef.
- Add Vegetables: In the slow cooker, distribute the sliced carrots, diced potatoes, chopped celery, and bell pepper evenly over the beef and aromatic layer. This layering helps ensure even cooking of the vegetables.
- Mix the Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the beef broth, honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Whisk these ingredients together until well blended. Pour this flavorful mixture over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and select the cooking time: set it to low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. If you prefer a thicker stew, during the last hour of cooking, stir together the cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water to create a slurry, then add this to the stew, mixing well.
- Final Touches: Once the cooking time has elapsed, carefully taste the stew and adjust seasoning as necessary. Depending on your desired sweetness or saltiness, consider adding a bit more honey or soy sauce.
- Serve: Ladle generous portions of the beef stew into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a pop of color. Pair the stew with warm, crusty bread or serve it over a bed of rice for a warming, hearty meal.
Notes
- For a thicker stew, create a slurry with 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch and an equal amount of cold water. Add to the stew during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Adjust sweetness and saltiness by adding more honey or soy sauce to taste.
- Garnish with fresh parsley for added color and flavor.
- Serve with crusty bread or rice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350-450 kcal
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg