Beef Stew Without Browning Meat First
Sort by: Most Helpful
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
09/19/2002
This was a good base for stew, but I did make a few additions to suit my family. I added carrots and potatoes and a pkg of onion soup mix along with salt, pepper, Accent, garlic powder, and thyme, which I think it definitely needed. The meat came out very tender and the broth was excellent (I thickened it a little at the end with instant potato flakes). I will be using this recipe for stew from now on. Thanks!
01/08/2005
This recipe was awful! First off, the stew meat should be browned first so the juices stay inside the meat. Without browning, the juices escape and mingle with the other liquids and create a very unappetizing pinkish foam on top of the stew. It also makes the meat drier than if it was browned first. Second, the stew liquid is way too thin. It needs cornstarch or some other thickener otherwise it is like soup. Also, it makes a very light creamy colored stew instead of a richer brown color typically associated with stew. Thirdly, I used condensed Onion Soup (campbells) because I couldn't find French Onion soup. It wasn't that good but maybe the French onion soup would be better. Don't waste your time or money on this recipe.
09/09/2002
A wonderful tender stew! To make a complete meal out of this, I added carrots and potatoes. I also added a packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix to it.
12/01/2004
I made a few modifications, but it turned out great! I used extra lean beef stew meat, 1 can low-fat cream of mushroom soup, 1 packet dry onion soup mix (didn't have the soup on hand), a cup of red wine, a cup of water and a few dashes of garlic powder and it was excellent! The best beef stew I have made!
01/25/2006
This dish was very easy to make and delicious. I added potatoes, peas, onions, carrotts and used bamboo mushrooms as opposed to regular mushrooms. The added ingredients really made it heartier. I suggest adding salt to the cooker.
10/01/2011
Okay, as the recipe reads it is a good beef stew if you want basic beef stew and have 5 minutes to prep--and some days, that's just fine. Here are my adjustments to kick it up a notch or two (and these add about 10-15 minutes of prep time): 1. Brown the beef in a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. 2. While the beef is browning, cut up 3-4 carrots and place in bottom of slow cooker. 3. When beef is browned well, pour the 1/2 cup of red wine into the skillet to deglaze it; cook a few minutes to reduce (makes a lovely dark brown gravy). Pour beef and gravy into slow cooker. 4. Put the pan back on the burner and add 8-16 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms (subbing these for the canned mushrooms; I like baby bellas, but any mushroom is fine). 5. While the mushrooms saute, pour 1 envelope of dried onion soup mix over the beef. Add the can of French onion soup and 1 can of GOLDEN MUSHROOM soup (subbing this for the cream of mushroom soup). Add garlic powder to your preference. 6. When the mushrooms are slightly browned, add another glug of the red wine to the pan. Continue cooking another minute or two more to reduce wine; pour mushrooms and cooking liquid into slow cooker. 7. Cook as stated; serve over buttered noodles. For an extra 10-15 minutes, you can have a more flavorful, richer-colored beef stew. However, on days when you have 5 minutes or less, the original recipe is just fine.
01/08/2003
We tried this yesterday and it is definitely a "keeper" for us. I did add potatoes and pearl onions. Next time I'll also add carrots and green beans. I also thickened it up with corn starch to make it more like a soup.
10/04/2007
Just what I was looking for... a super easy dish to throw in the crockpot. I used a Cabernet Sauvignon, added parsley, rosemary, a pinch of thyme, two cloves of garlic, 1/2 lb. baby carrots and a bag of fresh crimini mushrooms towards the end. We had this with buttered egg noodles. I might make it again. Thanks for the post, Cheryl.
11/18/2003
A delicious, super-easy comfort dinner. As a prior poster suggested, I increased quantities of soups and the wine. For 1.25lb of stew beef, I used one full can each of Campbell's French Onion and Cream of Mushroom Soup, and 1 full cup of merlot red wine. Also per another poster's suggestion, I added garlic powder and thyme to taste, and a healthy dash of fresh black pepper. About 2 1/2 hours before I was anticipating it would be finished, I added about 5 quartered baby red potatoes, and a dash of parsley flakes. I served it over wide egg noodles, and with buttered baby carrots on the side. My fiance loved it! He had 2 full helpings, as did I. I found the meat to be quite tender and flaky, and there was plenty enough 'gravy' to counteract any dryness the meat might've had. I personally can't even stand the scent of mushrooms, and was apprehensive about using the soup in this recipe, but it definitely turned out for the best. Thanks Cheryl! I will definitely make this again!
11/20/2002
YUM YUM!!! This is a fabulous recipe for people who are NOT fans of Beef Stew, OR are looking for a different taste. I added potatoes and used a Lipton onion soup packet instead of the french onion soup, and it still came out wonderful! My daughter who is not a "stew" fan, had 2 HUGE bowls!! perfect comfort food! This one is a keeper in my house!! thanks Cheryl!
02/06/2003
I personally did NOT like this at all (so sorry Cheryl!) BUT my boyfriend and roommate dug this recipe alot. I added baby carrots, celery, and the required mushrooms halfway during cooking. I would like to think I purchased a nice cut of meat but after 8 hours, the meat was flavorful by dried out (I have never had that problem before!). The meat literally fell apart even though it was already cubed but it tasted dry...which I assume was due to the wine. I just mixed it into my mashed potatoes and I could finish my plate. Even though I didn't care for this, like I said, my boyfriend and roommate though this was really good! This might become one of those recipes I send with them when they go up north in the fall...this is a recipe they could make (I'll add cubed potatoes to make the meal complete). It's that easy. Thanks anyways!
12/19/2008
Hello - because I was short on time and found a key ingredient missing, here were adjustments I made and boy, was it tasty! I used a can of Cream of Onion soup (grocery store didn't have French Onion!), and a pint of whipping gream, and 1/2 can of water. Also added baby carrots, celery, cooked mushrooms and garlic. Also - using a 1 lb beef stew sizing, I put this on "high" in the slow cooker for 2.5 hours and it was done! Very tender -- wonderful over noodles!
09/29/2008
The main virtue is that it uses few ingredients and is quick/easy to put together. That said, we found the result to be bland in flavor and the color matched with an unappealing creamy shade. To my way of thinking, a beef stew, particularly one that cooks for hours, should have a nice, deep color and depth of flavor to match. It was OK in flavor. I'm sure it would improve by adding some thyme, marjoram and/or rosemary and a few liberal grinds of pepper, but since it really wasn't our thing, I'm going to cut my losses on this one.
03/07/2011
very good and this is now my 'go to' easy comfort recipe. It reminded us of a beef stroganoff more than a stew but it was still great.
01/25/2008
FABULOUS!! I did make a few changes. I did not use the red wine but added: carrots, potatos (to make it a more hearty meal), one can of garlic and oil diced tomoatos, and 12 oz of beef broth. My husband (who is a very picky eater) keeps begging me to make more. Even my 3 and 2 year old kids loved this stew. Great for those cold cold days.
07/17/2008
I used this as the base to make "beef manhattans". I served it over the top of thick sliced bread topped with garlic mashed potatoes. My additions were: another can of cream of mushroom soup (I used the 15 oz. sizes), a whole cup of merlot (rather than 1/2 cup), 1 pkg. of onion soup mix along with the french onion soup, 2 tsp. of kitchen browning sauce and 1/2 tsp. of seasoned salt & coarse ground black pepper. Add some fresh mushrooms the last 30 minutes if you are not using the canned type. Garnish with fresh parsley. This was easy and delicious! Thanks for sharing!
08/24/2008
Very easy to make. I added two small diced potatoes, 2 carrots and 2 celery sticks (make sure you leave in the crock pot long enough for the vegetables to thoroughly cook 9-11 hours on low or so). I also added about 3/4 cup red wine instead if 1/2 cup, and some onion soup mix. Will be making again! Thank you for the recipe.
10/12/2008
This was easy to make but nothing special. I also didn't use the wine and I don't think it would have improved the flavor. However when I did add some pepper,garlic powder (there's enough salt in the soup) and 8 oz. of sour cream it made a pretty good beef stroganoff.
01/09/2008
Very good over noodles
02/06/2003
I personally did NOT like this at all (so sorry Cheryl!) BUT my boyfriend and roommate dug this recipe alot. I added baby carrots, celery, and the required mushrooms halfway during cooking. I would like to think I purchased a nice cut of meat but after 8 hours, the meat was flavorful by dried out (I have never had that problem before!). The meat literally fell apart even though it was already cubed but it tasted dry...which I assume was due to the wine. I just mixed it into my mashed potatoes and I could finish my plate. Even though I didn't care for this, like I said, my boyfriend and roommate though this was really good! This might become one of those recipes I send with them when they go up north in the fall...this is a recipe they could make (I'll add cubed potatoes to make the meal complete). It's that easy. Thanks anyways!
02/07/2010
I have made this recipe only without the wine but instead of slow cooker, bake at 300 for 3 hrs. the gravy is thicker and not so liquid. Also, I sometimes add 8 oz sour cream and I double the cans of soups
01/13/2009
Very easy, very good. Have made it twice now.
02/05/2007
This recipe was very tasty (even my picky hubby liked it)! I used cream of potato instead of mushroom, and browned the meat before cooking as suggested by a few others. Also, I added potatoes and veggies we like. I cooked on high for about 6 hours, and it was perfect, no need to thicken at all.
11/15/2008
I doubled this and threw everything in the crockpot. I also added a sliced onion and used lemon lime soda in place of the red wine. I've made this before and this never fails to please. I cook it for one hour on HIGH, then the rest of the day on LOW.
04/07/2010
This is the absolute best way to make beef stew! I don't ever keep condensed soups, so I made my own by cooking 2 TB of butter with 6 TB flour and then whisking in one cup each of milk and chicken stock. I also added a bay leaf, one onion, and 2 cloves of garlic, and worcestershire sauce. I had to leave out the red wine b/c I didn't have it, but I just added some stock to replace the liquid. I added carrots during the last 2 hours and peas the last 30 minutes. The best beef stew I've ever had!
05/31/2009
Really good, super easy. I had fresh mushrooms instead of canned, put 1cup of sour cream in the slow cooker just before serving over wide egg noodles. Will definately make this one again!
05/12/2010
Absolutely wonderful! My 18 year old son even called me on his way to work to tell me to never lose this recipe! And he is not a fan of beef stew meat!!
10/24/2004
We liked it and the simplicity of this recipe is its greatest selling point. I really liked the flavor the red wine added to it. I also thickened it with cornstarch at the end because I thought it was a little too soupy. Next time I may try adding a few seasonings to liven it up a bit.
02/17/2009
This was...pretty good. I'll admit that I didn't use wine (never do)...used beef stock. I doubled the liquids because I also added celery, Yukon Gold potatoes, and carrots. I was expecting a little more flavor from the soups. It was actually quite a mellow flavor...which wasn't really what I was wanting. It was pretty good...just not what I was expecting. Thanks for the recipe!
11/01/2009
I will have to make this one again and again. PERFECT! Though next time I may add some sliced onions.
12/08/2010
I omitted the onion soup and used beef broth instead (though the soup would have been just as delicious). I also added some chopped vegetables. Simmered on low for 10 hours and it was SPOON tender. Though very tasty, it wasn't a real eye-pleaser so we topped it with shredded cheese and sliced scallions. DELISH!
09/08/2009
My mother is not well and it is a challenge to prepare something she will eat. Her favourite dish is beef stew. I did this recipe this weekend and she loved it. I did not use wine as she is diabetic, but did use the same amount as beef broth. I used onion soup instead of French onion as our grocery stores don't carry it. I put the vegetables in about 3 hours before it was done. Also I used instant mashed potato flakes at the end to thicken it a bit. I will definitely use this recipe again.
06/28/2002
This was sooooo good....it smells really fantastic when you come home at the end of the work day and walk in the door. I made it one day when we were both off, and I think we sat around the crock pot waiting for it to be done! :-) It's a standby now, and it gives me a base that I can expand on if I want to change it too, and I like that.
01/27/2007
I made this with sliced sirlion steak and it was excellent. I didn't have french onion soup or mushrooms, so I doubled the COM soup and added reconstituted dried onions. To speed it up I cooked it on the stove for about an hour. Mixed in some sour cream and noodles and served it with two other recipes from this site: Honey Ginger Carrots and some warm buttered Butternut Squash Bread that I had in the freezer.
07/28/2003
Super easy and DELICIOUS! I didn't have any wine (I don't drink) so I substituted three tablespoons of Balsalmic (Sp?) vinegar. Next time I make it, I'm going to add chopped onions and celery. I highly recommend this one!
12/02/2009
Great base. I did take some previous review suggestions by browning the meat first, adding two bags of stewing veggies (I'm all about easy), one package of onion soup mix and 4 cups water. It cooked over night through to dinner hour and was a hit! Very good and voted a keeper!
06/22/2006
wow! what an easy delicious meal!! i modified it a bit based on other recommendations. i dredged the beef in flour first and seared it in a pan with a tablespoon of oil (to keep the juices in.) i didn't have any cream of mushroom soup so i used cream of potato. i also added a few cups of frozen roasted potatoes during the last hour of cooking. this was such a nice meal to come home from work to. my boyfriend loved it!
03/06/2003
I MADE THIS FOR FRIENDS & FAMILY AND EVERYONE LIKED IT. I DID CHANGE A COUPLE OF THINGS. I DOUBLED THE SOUP & WINE AMOUNTS. I THINK THE FRENCH ONION SOUP MADE IT A LITTLE SALTY, SO I ADDED A 3RD CAN OF CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP AND THICKENED WITH CORNSTARCH. VERY GOOD WITH SOURDOUGH BREAD. THIS IS DEFINITELY A RECIPE I WILL MAKE AGAIN.
07/25/2006
This was a nice alternative to the way I usually do stew meat or a roast in the crock-pot. The only thing I might have done differently would be to add some carrots. I did thicken it up at the end with a little cornstarch. Very good.
07/06/2009
This makes very delicious stew. I didn't have French Onion Soup on hand, so I substituted broth for it. I also used condensed celery soup.
03/14/2006
The name is a little misleading. This really comes out more as a stroganoff than a stew. I double all but the "dry French Onion Soup Mix" and meat. Otherwise, the meat is overwhelming and there isn't enough sauce for your noodles.
11/18/2004
Thanks so much! My husband and kids truly enjoyed this meal!! I found it to be a little salty...I did add a packet of onion lipton soup mix, which I will not do next time! Anytime my kids go for seconds on a main dish, I know it's a keeper!
05/13/2010
Although easy I found this Beef Stew somewhat bland, even after adding lots of fresh veggies.
01/24/2003
This was OK. Added 8 oz. frozen green beans to round it out for hubby on Atkins. Would be better with some potatoes and carrots!
01/05/2008
I make this all the time, and my kids and husband both like it (as do I). Like others, I add carrots and potatoes to make it a complete crockpot meal. I also add a packet of beefy onion soup, and leave out the wine.
04/21/2010
This was so easy. I liked it because I didn't have to brown the meat first. I will use fresh mushrooms next time though. Very tasty over rice. Even my three boys liked it.
06/10/2007
This had good flavor. I didn't like the texture of the meat, it wasn't tender but more stringy. Could have just been the quality of the meat.
04/27/2007
Good stuff - my kids loved it, and that's always a sure sign of a great recipe!
01/23/2009
delicous! very easy and really tasty.
11/30/2008
Very good and easy. Just open up a few cans and pour in the slow cooker. Can't get any easier. And the good thing about this recipe is you can add ingredients to suit your tastes.
11/14/2004
Yum! Easy, quick, comfort food. Did add chopped celery, chopped red potatoes and some seasoning (pepper, thyme). As suggested by others, I thickened w/ cornstarch toward the end otherwise it would be a little too thin to use as stew. I served with green salad and dinner rolls - mmmmm good!
10/16/2003
Good but rich. We probably won't use it again but I can see where some people would really like it.
11/04/2008
So good!
03/14/2010
This was the first time I made a beef stew. This recipe was a great base but I did try to make this like my grandpa used to. I omitted the red wine and added baby carrots, peas and red potatoes. I left this in the slow cooker for about 7 hours. It was tasty, not quite how grandpa used to make but I'm sure he would be proud. Serve with garlic bread or french bread.
12/29/2002
Very tasty! Used onion soup mix instead of the french onion soup...added a little water, and a little more wine. I think next time I'll add some pearl onions...very good though and definately would have it again....
01/11/2008
It is great how easy this recipe is, but for me and my family, even with added spices, we found it to be a bit bland. Thank you for posting yur recipe Cheryl.
12/02/2009
This was still fairly bland, even after I browned the beef and added some salt & pepper and cornstarch to thicken it up.
11/15/2001
Very good. A bit soupy, though. I cooked the meat in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes to make it more tender.
02/11/2010
Yum!
09/09/2008
It was very delicious, however we did add potatoes, carrots and onions. Definitely will make it again!
09/16/2007
A standard in our house. I make this whenever stew meat is on sale, and my husband loves it.
01/20/2010
I give this recipe 4 stars because I used this recipe as a basic start for stew and added some extra steps to get the recipe that suited my household best. After browning the stew meat with onions in a pan, I followed the instructions listed and added peeled, chopped potatoes and carrots. After cooking in the slow cooker, we thickened the stew a little with flour and the end result was exactly the stew we were hoping for. I will definitely make this again.
09/10/2008
I used Venison meat instead of Beef, I added about a tbsp of chopped garlic, some kosher salt, and pepper to taste and added carrots, onion, and potatoes a couple hours before we ate. Turned out great!!
03/08/2003
This is by far one of the easiest recipes I have ever followed. It tasted great, too. The beef was deliciously tender. Loved it!
03/15/2007
I added a can of sliced carrots & a can of diced potatoes to add some veggies for my 1 yr old. Everyone loved it. I even got rave reviews from my mother & sister (both excellent cooks themselves). I will definately be making this again.
05/09/2009
Used a bag of steamfresh garlic peas and onions. superb!
02/02/2009
This is AWSOME even my VERY picky 15 year old ate it NOw I am making it for my Church group
08/19/2005
I liked this recipe but next time I would try to thicken it with flour or cornstarch.
03/11/2008
i left out the wine, I browned my meat first! i added potatoes and carrots, and extra can of mushroom soup and 1/2 packet of dry onion soup mix. It was the best ever!
05/10/2010
I added some garlic powder, fresh rosemary, celery, carrots, potato and onion soup mix as well as the french onion soup. It was fabulous!!! Everyone raved about it!!!
01/20/2010
I made a few of my own changes to this recipe. I replace the wine with 2 cans of beef broth and add a can of mushrooms, 2 cans of diced potatoes and mixed veggies.(fresh or canned) The changes I made make it more soupy, it's very hearty and it feeds at least 10.
10/03/2010
I cooked this today for football and I did the additions that others had mentioned. I thought it was a great base, but I had to add red potatoes, carrots and celery. Skipped the mushrooms and red wine. Didn't have either. It turned out great.
02/24/2010
Good and easy recipe. Used onion soup mix instead of the French onion soup - caused it to be too salty. Next time will look for reduced sodium soups otherwise a great dish.
02/09/2010
A good starting point....
08/28/2003
Wonderfully easy, tasty basic beef stew. I followed some of my predacessors, by using DryFrench Onion (beef) soup mix, and extra wine. I also mixed in a small amount of water and cornstarch for thickness. Next time I will use yellow onions, carrots, and potatoes and make it a more traditional meal. Great taste, very simple. Thanks Cheryl!
09/18/2003
I thought that this recipe was quite flavorful!!! My only complaint was that the meat was quite dried out, as soon as I stirred the stew the meat fell appart and was quite flaky.
02/03/2014
Truly as easy as it says and just as good! I served it over egg noodles and with mixed veggies but it was wonderful!
02/28/2010
I used fresh mushrooms instead of canned and even so, this was very bland to me. I served over egg noodles & even my guest said "it's not awful but it's not good." We added lots of cracked black pepper & sour cream after our initial taste to try to doctor it up but I would not make again. Another friend loves this recipe & it is well-rated... it just didn't appeal to my palate.
01/24/2005
AWESOME!!! Super, easy and really good!
11/08/2003
While the smell of this stew was FANTASTIC, I have to say we were abit disappointed with the overall taste. Bland. I couldnt get over it. Maybe next time I will add more seasonings and try to thicken up the stew to more of a gravy. We served it over rice and this was great, but it just needs more punch and thickness.
02/10/2010
This was really good. I did follow the advice from other reviews and added potatoes and carrots plus seasonings. Thank you
08/31/2013
This was awesome! My whole family raved and it was just Soooo easy!
03/04/2004
This is wonderful. I use whole mushrooms instead of canned. I also serve it over egg noodles. Easy to make and my whole family loves it.
01/13/2012
A flavorful, super-easy comfort dinner. I browned the meat first and then deglazed the pan with the red wine to capture the fond. It was an easy, simple dinner that would also be a great base for additional ingredients.
01/23/2005
My husband and kids loved this easy stew recipe. I sprinkled the soup with garlic salt, pepper and italian seasoning about an hour before serving. It added some nice flavoring. Also chopped up some potatoes and added them in with the meat.
11/13/2005
Certainly easy enough. We thickened the broth with cornstarch for a more hearty gravy. Seems to be lacking something...next time we will doctor it up a bit.
01/28/2007
I give it 2 stars for pure simplicity. The end result was very soupy and bland. I added about 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with equal parts water during the last hour in an attempt to thicken it. Still very runny. Needed LOTS of salt and pepper. I will make it again but will add some spices to it at the beginning and half the liquid.
07/18/2004
this was good. my family loved it! so easy too
02/14/2005
This recipe rocked. I made it for a small gathering and had none left. It is great over egg noodles and with a salad to start. Add some crusty bread and you are good to go.
03/05/2006
I've made this several times this winter and we all enjoyed it. Like others, I added carrots, red potatoes and fresh mushrooms. Smells so good!!
11/06/2004
Came out as something between stew and soup, but tastes good and ridiculously easy.
10/20/2009
I really liked this recipe. I am not a red meat type of girl but I absolutely loved this. The meat was very tender. The only thing that could use some changing, if you are the type of person that likes salt, is to add a little yourself. Other than that I wouldnt change anything :)
09/07/2017
It was delicious!! Had no canned mushrooms so added some HP sauce and some onion soup mix as well as potatoes and carrots. Definitely a keeper recipe!!
11/06/2017
Like others, I added potatoes and carrots. Instead of mushroom soup, I added beef stock, Worchestershire sauce and Montreal Steak seasonings for added flavor. At the end I add a little cornstarch and water to thicken the gravy.
11/17/2021
We make it every month or so. We often serve it over mashed potatoes. We use fresh mushrooms and golden mushroom soup instead of cream of mushroom soup. We often add carrots and this dish has been a family favorite for years.
03/18/2016
This is a great recipe, just a few tweaks. Browned the beef prior to adding. Used onion soup mix instead of soup, so added more water. Also doubled the mushrooms, used 2 cans. Since I needed it to cook for 9 hours while at work doubled the wine and added a bit more water. Made a great gravy and served with egg noodles. This is a easy beef and burgundy recipe.
07/31/2017
Made it on the stove top. Used canned beef that we had on hand and onion powder soup mix with unsalted beef broth. Turned out great. A little bit salty for my family's taste. Otherwise, good quick dinner!
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26632/no-peek-beef-stew/
0 Response to "Beef Stew Without Browning Meat First"
Post a Comment