As a relatively new "cook", I try to follow the recipes to a T but I read the review beforehand for an overall impression. I have never used a slow cooker before but it worked very well. No water was needed and there was plenty of moisture created by the ingredients themselves. I felt that the amount of carrots and onions were heavy. This dish was tasty immediately afterwards; however, re-heated, it lacked its original flavor and texture. A keeper but not on a regular rotation.

This recipe is perfect , easy , delicious and exactly what I was looking for .

Very very simple and tasty without going to much trouble. I made this in the crock pot using a little over 1 and 1/2 lbs lean stew beef, halved the potatoes and carrots, substituted 8 oz frozen pearl onions for chopped, and added 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms. Also added some celery seed and dried basil and oregano. Cooked on high for 5 hours. Will probably add a little red wine next time because I would like more gravy. A little crumbled bacon would probably be a nice touch, too.

The slow cooker recipe doesn't say anything about adding water??? I just added it anyway and started it. Sure hope it's right!

Remove bay leaf? My grandmother always said "whoever gets the bay leaf has to kiss the cook".

I was looking for a recipe just like this one. Foolproof, tasty and so simple that it wouldn't take ages to make. Never mind browning meat and wasting time - just mix the first group of ingredients together over medium heat, add the rest of it and plunk it in the oven. That's it! SO delicious and absolutely tastes like you spent HOURS making it! Will absolutely be making again!

Thanks! When the weather gets cooler I will be making this beef stew. Thanks for posting! Looks like an easy to make recipe.

What makes this recipe great is its simplicity. Yeah, there are some better recipes out there, but its hard to beat this one on time and ingredient count. Brown the meat in bacon grease and add the cooked bacon for additional flavor. I recommend a thick cut maple smoked bacon for it because you can taste the difference in the end product. I used a slow cooker and found after several runs that the low setting is better than high. Fridge overnight for best results and reheat prior to eating.

Made this last night for the first - it was delicious and easy! I'm not generally a huge fan of stew, but boy this hit the spot on a cold night! I cooked in the oven for slightly over 2 hours and the meat and veggies were was tender but not mushy or overcooked in the least. I just served w/ hearty sliced bread. Perfect winter meal!

I also used my Le Creuset 7 qt pot in the oven at 2.5 hrs. It works perfectly and I prefer it over the slow cooker for retention of color and vitamins in the veg.