Slow cookers do the work so we don't have to. They come in handy for every type of season: Picnic and potluck season, the holidays, and the coldest parts of winter.

One recipe continues to grab the attention of the Allrecipes community: It’s a classic stew with hearty flavors and filling portions—and it’s our most-saved slow cooker recipe of all time. 

The secret is out, but it wasn’t much of a secret to begin with. Our most-saved slow cooker recipe—Beef Stew—is one of the most popular Allrecipes dishes of all time. With over 4,000 reviews and 3,500 5-star ratings, it has been filling up hungry bellies for well over a decade. 

The recipe uses two pounds of beef stew meat along with a variety of seasonings, vegetables, and liquids like Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. If you can’t find stew meat at the grocery store, buy a large cut of beef like chuck roast and cut it into 1-inch pieces. 

Toss your meat straight into the slow cooker with flour, salt, and ground black pepper. The vegetables— potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions—all need a dice or chop before going in. Once that prep step is complete, add theses to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients. Give everything a good stir, then set it and forget it. 

That’s all. The result is a beef dish so tender you can cut through the meat with a spoon. It’s bound to warm up everyone that tries it.

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Recipe Tip

If you want to add a richer taste to the beef, consider searing the meat before placing it in the slow cooker. “This is an extra step in the recipe, but I think it’s worth it,” says culinary editor Nicole McLaughlin. Simply coat your beef with flour, salt, and pepper, heat oil in a skillet, then cook your cubed meat until a brown crust begins to show.

Don't take it from us—here's what our community has to say:

“THIS is a terrific basic recipe! Nothing to stop you from adding your favorite things—although the TASTE is GREAT just like it is,” says one Allrecipes community member. “I used chuck because it's not as dry as a bottom round. I had a tomato so I chopped it up and added it. I saw where someone had added a [packet] of beef gravy—great idea too!

“This is a great beef stew recipe (as written)," says reviewer Lindsey B. "It's easy, doesn't make a lot of dishes, makes the house smell amazing, and my family loves it. I contemplated adding a thing or two the second time I made it, but I decided it was unnecessary. The flavors are great just using the base recipe. And really, why make more work for yourself by adding steps that aren't needed. Try this recipe as-is the first time you make it! You'll save yourself some work and I don't think you'll be disappointed.”

"My changes after making this a few times were to brown my meat in bacon grease (like my Grandmother did) and add a can of petite diced tomatoes just because it made the flavor more like my Grandmother's beef stew," says reviewer Sammijo217. "This is better the next day so I always make it a day ahead."

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stew