Hearty Beef Brisket Stew

This hearty beef brisket stew is comforting and so easy to make. Thanks to a slow cooker (crockpot), you can get it ready with minimum effort but maximum flavour. It’s the perfect dinner for rainy autumn days and cold winter evenings.

Why To Try This Beef Brisket Stew

You will want to try this recipe for several reasons:

1. It is very tasty, hearty and comforting which makes it ideal for cozy nights in and busy week dinners.
2. This one-pot slow cooker recipe is super easy to make & friendly to your budget.
3. It scales up well and makes fabulous leftovers - it is great for feeding crowds, batch cooking and freezing.
4. It saves you washing up, as you only need a frying pan, slow cooker or a casserole dish (Dutch oven), chopping board, and a knife.

Key Ingredients For Beef Brisket Stew

This homemade slow-cooked brisket stew recipe contains only 7 ingredients (the rest is in your cupboard! 😊).

• Beef brisket is the main ingredient. Brisket is one of the cheaper cuts of beef, but it brings out a lot of flavour and gets beautifully tender after a few of hours of slow cooking, which makes it great for stews and casseroles.
• Onions make a base of the gravy (sauce). Use fresh or frozen brown onions or shallots.
• Carrots add beautiful colour and sweet notes to the sauce and the dish. Use them whole with the skin on and cut them just before serving (otherwise they will get too soft).
• White, or yellow potatoes (or any all-round variety)can be added with a skin on too. Add them towards the end of the cooking process, as they need just a little time to cook.
• Chopped tomatoes help thicken up the sauce. Use canned or fresh tomatoes.
• Garlic adds on taste. I usually go easy on it, but you can add a clove or two more if you fancy!

The dish is seasoned with paprika, caraway seeds, bay leaves, salt and black pepper and Worcester sauce.

This slow-cooked casserole is mild - feel free to add some chilli flakes if you like your food hotter! You can also add some fresh chopped parsley for serving.

If you are looking for more budget-friendly recipes, you will also like this easy sausage casserole or apple and sausage cassoulet.

This beef stew will taste great with a slice of homemade garlic bread.

Substitutes & Variations

Wondering what ingredients can be swapped in this recipe? Here are some suggestions:

• Cook with beef roasting joint if you are short on time. This type of meat gets tender way quicker than brisket – reducing the cooking time by half.
• Parsnip and/or celeriac instead of white potatoes.
• Sweet potatoes and/or bell peppers to replace carrots.
• Swap canned tomatoes for fresh tomatoes and tomato paste.
• Use leeks instead of onions.

Detailed swap ratios are in the recipe card below this post.

How To Make This Beef Casserole

This slow-cooked beef stew with carrots and potatoes is ready in 5 simple steps:

1. Cut the meat and sear it on a stove.
2. Fry onions and garlic in the same pan.
3. Add seared beef, fried onions and garlic into a slow cooker, add carrots, chopped tomatoes, spices and water, and cook until the meat is soft.
4. Add potatoes and cook until they are soft and serve.

Detailed instructions and an ingredient list are at the very end of this post.

Equipment

For this slow-cooked recipe, you will need a slow cooker (crockpot).

Alternatively, you can cook it in a Dutch oven or in an oven-proof casserole dish with a lid  - both of these will need to go into an actual oven. See the recipe notes for this cooking method.

To cut meat and dice the vegetables, you will need a couple of chopping boards and knives.

Top Tips

• Vegetables cook much quicker than meat, so it is good to cut them into big chunks or add the vegetables whole (ie. carrot) and cut them just before serving because they get soft faster. For the same reason also add the potatoes towards the end of the cooking process.
• Remember to check the amount of liquid in the stew from time to time - twice throughout the cooking process should be enough. The liquid helps cook the food and also prevents the meal from burning. Add more water if needed, otherwise keep the lid shut!
• Slow-cooked stews like this taste better overnight, so feel free to prepare this a day in advance and let it rest in the fridge if you have the time!

Storage & Reheating

This stew with beef brisket and root vegetables is perfect for making in advance. If you are cooking it for later, let it cool down to room temperature, transfer into a food container, cover and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze this brisket stew?

This crock pot brisket stew can be stored frozen. Leave it to cool down and store in an airtight food container in your freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating

Refrigerated beef stew can be easily reheated in the microwave or on the hob. Use whichever method suits your needs the best, following these instructions:

• In a microwave – transfer the meaty sauce with veggies onto a microwave-safe plate or a bowl. Place into a microwave for 4-7 minutes depending on the power of your appliance (less powerful microwave ovens will need more time to warm up the food, and vice versa). This method is great when reheating individual portions.
• On the hob – place the stew into a saucepan and set on medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for at least 5-7 minutes. Stir regularly to help it stop burning at the bottom of the pan.  Ensure the food is hot before serving. This method works well for reheating several portions at a time.

When reheating from frozen, use the hob for the best results. Place the frozen contents into a saucepan (stockpot) and set it on medium-high heat. Stir regularly from the bottom of the pan to prevent the sauce from burning. Bring to a simmer and cook for at least 7-10 minutes or until piping hot.

FAQs

More Slow Cooker Recipes

• Slow-cooked sausage cassoulet
• Slow-cooked chili con carne
• Juicy pulled pork burgers
• Slow cooker potato and leek soup
• Red cabbage in slow cooker