This comforting Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Apple Cider is made with tender beef, carrots, potatoes, peas, and sweet apple cider. It's easy to make, and packed with sweet-and-savory flavor!
Prep Time10 minutesminutes
Cook Time6 hourshours
Total Time6 hourshours10 minutesminutes
Ingredients
2 ½poundsbeef stew meat, cubed
6carrots, cut into bite sized pieces
6medium potatoes, cubed
4celery stalks, chopped
2apples, cored and chopped
1cupfrozen peas
½cupdiced onion
1tablespoonminced garlic
2cupsapple cider
2cupbeef broth
3tablespoonstomato paste
1tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
2teaspoonssalt
½teaspoondried thyme, or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1bay leaf
3tablespoonscornstarch, optional for thickening
Instructions
Add the beef, carrots, potatoes, celery, apples, peas, onion and garlic to a crockpot. Pour the apple cider over the stew.
In a bowl, combine the broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and salt together. Pour over the stew. Add the thyme and bay leaf.
Cover tightly with a lid and set on high for 6 hours, or low for 8 hours. Stir occasionally, if you are able to.
When the meat is tender, the stew is ready to eat. If you wish to thicken the broth, remove 1/3 cup broth from the crockpot. Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Pour back into the crockpot and stir to combine. Let cook about 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until thickened.
Notes
Storing: Leftover stew is even better the next day. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheating: Reheat portions in a saucepan on low heat until piping hot. You can also reheat in the microwave.Freezing: For long-term storage, you can freeze this apple cider beef stew in individual portions. Cool it down, and then spoon one or two servings into a freezer bag. Frozen stew will keep for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.