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    Home » Recipes » Meaty dishes

    Hearty Beef Brisket Stew

    Published: Aug 31, 2023 · by Markie · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    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.

    A bowl with cooked beef, carrots, potatoes and onion in a sauce.
    Jump to:
    • Why To Try This Beef Brisket Stew
    • Key Ingredients For Beef Brisket Stew
    • Substitutes & Variations
    • How To Make This Beef Casserole
    • Top Tips
    • Storage & Reheating
    • FAQs
    • More Slow Cooker Recipes
    • 📖 The Recipe

    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.
    A photo of cooking ingredients. From top: three green leaves, two bowls with liquids, a bowl with spices, a can of tomatoes, bunch of onions, galric cloves and carrots, white potatoes, and a cut of red meat on a white plate.

    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.

    A collage of six photos showing how to slow cook beef brisket. Top row searing the meat chunks. Middle row: frying onions, garlic and adding carrots. Bottom row: adding seared meat, and topping with canned tomatoes, spices and water.

    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.

    A bowl of beef stew with root vegetables, laying next to a checked tea towel and a fork.

    FAQs

    Is beef brisket good for stews?

    Beef brisket is one of the least expensive cuts of beef. It is great for stews and barbecues; however, this tough cut of meat needs to be cooked for several hours before it becomes soft. It is perfect for slow cookers or pressure cookers. If using a slow cooker (crock pot), start cooking it early in the day in case you need to extend the cooking time due to the hard meat.

    Does brisket get softer longer it cooks?

    Yes, this tough cut of meat get tender after prolonged cooking time. For the best results, cook brisket long and slow. Brisket can take about 8-10 hours to cook on low settings in a slow cooker (crock pot).

    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

    📖 The Recipe

    A bowl with cooked beef, carrots, potatoes and onion in a sauce.

    Hearty Beef Brisket Stew

    Markie | MarkiesKitchen.com
    Hearty beef brisket stew in slow cooker is an easy & comforting meal. Ideal for cozy fall days and long winter evenings, budget-friendly too!
    5 from 5 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 8 hours hrs
    Total Time 8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 6
    Calories 527 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 900 g beef brisket
    • 3 tablespoon rapeseed oil
    • 4 carrots
    • 2 onions, cut into chunks
    • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • 400 g can plum or chopped tomatoes
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 1 tablespoon Worcester sauce
    • 8 medium potatoes skin-on
    • salt and black pepper, to taste

    Optional:

    • chili flakes
    • chopped parsley, for serving

    Instructions
     

    • Cut the meat into chunks (about 1.5 inches each).
    • Remove the inner bowl of a slow cooker if you can, if not, use a large frying pan or a skillet. Add rapeseed oil to it, place it on a stove and set on medium-high heat.
    • Once the pan (or inner bowl) is hot, add ⅓ of the beef chunks and brown it from all sides (about 1 minute on each side). When seared and brown, place onto a plate and set aside. Repeat until you used all meat.
    • Using the same pan, add onions and garlic and a splash of oil if needed. Fry for two minutes and take off the heat.
    • Put the inner bowl with fried onion and garlic back into the slow cooker (or transfer them from a frying pan to the slow cooker). Add carrots, the browned meat and canned tomatoes. Season with paprika, caraway seeds, bay leaves, salt, black pepper and Worcester sauce. Fill up empty tomato can with water, and add the water to the sauce. Cover and slow cook for 8 hours on low settings. Check there is enough liquid in the dish after 3 hours, add more if needed.
    • In the meantime, prepare the potatoes. Wash and cut them in halves and keep in a bowl covered with water.
    • After 6.5 hrs of cooking the stew, drain the potatoes and add them to the slow cooker. Stir, add more water if needed. Cover and cook for another 1.5 hours. Uncover, carefully cut the softened carrots into smaller chunks. Cover again and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.
    • Enjoy as it is or with a slice of crusty garlic bread.

    Notes

    Possible swaps (1:1 ratio unless stated otherwise):
    • Beef roasting joint – reduce cooking time by a half.
    • Parsnip and/or celeriac instead of white potatoes.
    • Sweet potatoes (x2) and/or bell peppers (x3) to replace carrots.
    • Swap canned tomatoes for 8 fresh tomatoes and 1 tablespoon tomato paste.
    • 1 leek instead of onions.
    Top tips: Please see the article above the recipe card.
    Dutch oven:
    Preheat the oven to 150C/302F. Cut the brisket into chunks. Add a drizzle of oil to a casserole dish and brown the meat on a stovetop on medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and garlic, and fry for another 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, carrots, spices, Worcester sauce and water (1 whole can from the tomatoes). Cover and place in the hot oven. Cook for 1.5 hours, checking there is enough liquid (add more water if needed). Cook for another 1.5 hours. Wash and halve the potatoes and add them to the stew. Cook for 1 more hour or until the potatoes are soft. Cut the carrots into smaller bites. Return carrots to the stew and leave to rest covered for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

    Nutritional Information (Estimates Only)

    Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 1865mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 7113IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 6mg
    Keyword beef, beef stew, brisket, carrots, potatoes
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was! Give a star rating if you enjoyed it, this helps other readers who are looking for recipes like this!

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    About Markie

    Hi there! I'm a passionate home cook, food blogger and photographer. I enjoy making great food without having to run to the shop every day. I'm here to help you cook easy and delicious meals from classic pantry ingredients. More about me

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. cookingwithshy

      October 05, 2020 at 1:32 am

      Wonderful and hearty stew!!

      Reply
      • Country Girl in London

        October 05, 2020 at 7:13 am

        Thank you, it was very tasty!

        Reply
    2. anasylvi

      October 05, 2020 at 8:36 am

      Yummy! Indeed, the stew season begins.

      Reply
      • Country Girl in London

        October 05, 2020 at 9:04 am

        Yay! Thank you for reading! 🙂

        Reply
    3. kutubuku

      October 05, 2020 at 8:54 am

      That looks so good!! I will have to try it when I have time 🙂 Thank you for the recipe

      Reply
      • Country Girl in London

        October 05, 2020 at 9:05 am

        Thank you so much for reading! Let me know how it was x

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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