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Delicious Crock Pot Poor Man's Stew served in a bowl with fresh herbs

Crock Pot Poor Man's Stew

A hearty stew made with beef, potatoes, and vegetables, perfect for busy evenings and meal prep.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main ingredients
  • 1.5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces Can be substituted with chicken or made vegetarian.
  • 4 medium potatoes, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 pieces bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Start by chopping all your veggies.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the stew meat for about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Place the browned meat (or uncooked) into your Crock Pot.
  4. Add the diced potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.
  5. Pour in the beef broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Give everything a good stir.
Cooking
  1. Set your Crock Pot to low and let it cook for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
  2. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Serving
  1. Ladle the stew into bowls and enjoy.

Notes

For a thicker stew, add a slurry of cornstarch and water during the last half hour of cooking. You can also add frozen peas or corn for extra color and flavor.