2 lb chuck roast or beef stew meat, cut into 1–1½” pieces
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1.5–2 lb), peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced on the diagonal
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 sprig fresh)
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot + 2 tablespoons cold water (optional slurry)
Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Pat the beef pieces dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown the beef in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until rich mahogany. Transfer browned pieces to the slow cooker and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
In the same skillet, add a splash more oil if needed and sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until the edges start to soften and the onion is translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Stir tomato paste into the skillet, add a splash of beef broth (or red wine) to deglaze, scraping browned bits. Pour this mixture over the beef and veggies in the slow cooker. Add the remaining broth, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, thyme, bay leaf, and a grind of black pepper. Ensure the liquid mostly covers the ingredients—add more broth or water if needed.
Nestle the sweet potato cubes on top so they cook through without turning to mush. Give everything a gentle stir. Cover and cook.
Cook on LOW for 7–8 hours for tender beef and intact sweet potatoes. Or cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours for a faster finish. It’s done when the beef flakes easily with a fork and the sweet potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
Taste and adjust salt/pepper. For thicker stew, whisk cornstarch with cold water and stir into the pot; switch to HIGH and cook 15–20 minutes, or transfer a cup of liquid to a saucepan, whisk in the slurry, and simmer until glossy and thick. Remove bay leaf and stir in chopped parsley.
Spoon into bowls, garnish with more parsley or a dollop of Greek yogurt for tang. Serve warm.
Notes
A comforting, easy slow-cooker stew of well-marbled beef, sweet potatoes, and a rich, spoon-coating sauce. Pop it in the slow cooker in the morning for a cozy, low-effort weeknight dinner.
