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Overhead shot of a rectangular white dish containing slow cooker beef & mushroom stew.
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4.84 from 6 votes

Slow Cooker Beef and Mushroom Stew

Hearty Slow Cooker Beef & Mushroom Stew is the perfect dinner for a cold winter's evening. With some simple boiled potatoes and green vegetables on the side, this is an easy dinner without the fuss.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time8 hrs
Total Time8 hrs 30 mins
Course: Appetiser/Main Meal
Cuisine: Australian
Keyword: beef and mushroom stew, slow cooker beef and mushroom stew, slow cooker beef stew
Servings: 6
Calories: 426kcal
Author: Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg (52 oz) chuck or stewing steak, cut into large pieces
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 40 g (1/4 cup) plain flour
  • 300 ml (1 cup + 1/4 cup) beef stock
  • 40 ml (2 Tablespoons) tomato paste
  • 20 ml (1 Tablespoon) Worcestershire Sauce
  • 300 g (4 1/3 cups) mushrooms, quartered
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
  • Salt & pepper
  • Olive oil, if browning ingredients

Instructions

  • Turn your slow cooker on to low to warm the insert.

If browning the ingredients

  • Whisk the beef stock, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce together, and set aside.
  • Brown the beef chunks on both sides in a fry pan over a medium high heat. Avoid overcrowding the pan as the meat will stew rather than fry.
  • When browned, transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
  • Add the onions to the fry pan (adding more oil if necessary). Fry for 5 minutes or until softened.
  • Add the garlic to the pan and fry for 1 minute.
  • Scatter the flour over the onions, and continue to fry for one minute.
  • Pour the beef stock mixture into the fry pan.
  • Stir briefly to incorporate the flour mixture into the stock, then pour the contents of the fry pan into the slow cooker.
  • Add the mushrooms, carrots, bay leaf, and thyme to the slow cooker.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir thoroughly to coat the beef and vegetables in the sauce.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker.
  • Cook for 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on high.
  • At the end of the cooking time, stir through the parsley and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
  • Serve with boiled potatoes and green vegetables.

To cook without browning the ingredients

  • Add the beef, mushrooms, carrots, bay leaf, and thyme to the slow cooker.
  • Whisk the (cold) beef stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and flour together until smooth.
  • Pour the sauce over the contents of the slow cooker.
  • Season with salt & pepper.
  • Stir everything together and replace the lid of the slow cooker.
  • Cook for 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on high.
  • At the end of the cooking time, stir through the parsley and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
  • Serve with boiled potatoes and green vegetables.

Notes

  1. Choose a beef cut with a little fat and connective tissue that is suitable for long, slow cooking. Look for chuck or round steak, stewing steak or gravy beef.
  2. The meat, vegetables and herbs can be assembled in the slow cooker insert and stored in the fridge overnight.  Mix the sauce ingredients and store separately.  In the morning, put the insert into the slow cooker, pour over the sauce ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Proceed as per the recipe.
  3. Stew is always better the next day, so if you are really organised, make the dish a day ahead and reheat it for dinner the following day.
  4. I used a large 6L (6 quart) slow cooker to make this stew. If your slow cooker is big enough, double the recipe and freeze the extras for another meal.
  5. Leftover beef and mushroom stew will keep in the fridge for up to two days, and can be frozen for up to three months.