1-Getting started with Crockpot Beef Stew is simple and rewarding, beginning with prepping your ingredients to save time later. First, season the 2 ½ pounds of stew meat with ½ teaspoon each of black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt, then toss it in ¼ cup flour for a nice sear. Heat 3-6 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and briefly sear the meat to lock in flavors, which takes just a few minutes.

2-Next, in the same pan, sauté 2 cups of diced yellow onions and 4 cloves of minced garlic until they’re soft and aromatic, then deglaze with 1 cup of cabernet sauvignon or merlot wine (or a substitute like beef broth mixed with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar). Transfer everything to your slow cooker along with 4 cups beef broth, 2 beef bouillon cubes, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 5 medium carrots cut into 1-inch chunks, 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes halved or quartered, 2 bay leaves, and 1 sprig rosemary. Stir gently to combine, but hold off on adding the 1 cup frozen peas just yet.

3-Once assembled, cover and cook on low for 7 ½ to 8 hours or on high for 3 ½ to 4 hours until the vegetables are tender. In the last 15 minutes, stir in the frozen peas to keep them bright and fresh. Before serving, remove the bay leaves and rosemary sprig, and if you want a thicker stew, mix ¼ cup cold water with 3 tablespoons cornstarch, add it in, and cook on high briefly. Finally, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter for a smooth texture, and consider adding a bit of browning and seasoning sauce for extra color if desired. The total prep time is about 20 minutes, with cooking ranging from 4 to 8 hours, yielding around six servings at about 507 calories each.