Cranberry Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker

5 from 9 votes

Cranberry Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker

Adding dried cranberries to the stew adds just a touch of sweetness to the stew broth. They soften and break apart while cooking. The beef could be substituted with pork tenderloin or even chicken breasts.

Prep Time10

Cook Time8

Total Time8 10

Course: Main Dish

Servings:

Calories: 554kcal

Author: Good Dinner Mom

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat
4 medium red potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
1 yellow or red onion diced
3 garlic cloves smashed and rough chopped
½ cup dried cranberries
1 package of your favorite brown gravy mix
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
6 cups beef broth
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

Slow Cooker Directions

In a 6-quart slow cooker, place the meat in the insert and add 4 potatoes, 1 diced red onion, 3 garlic cloves, and ½ cup dried cranberries. Sprinkle the gravy mix over ingredients, plus the 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add 6 cups beef broth and gently stir to combine. Place 2 sprigs rosemary in the broth.
2 pounds beef stew meat, 4 medium red potatoes, 1 yellow or red onion, 3 garlic cloves, ½ cup dried cranberries, 1 package of your favorite brown gravy mix, 1 tsp kosher or sea salt, ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper, 6 cups beef broth, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 5 or 6 hours.
Remove the rosemary, gently stir again before serving.

Optional:

For a thicker broth, remove a few of the potatoes and mash them with a fork into a paste. Add back in the stew and stir again.

Cook's Note:

For more veggies in the stew, feel free to add 2 diced carrots or parsnips at the beginning of cooking. If you add a lot of vegetables, increase the broth to 7 cups.

Vegan Option:

Sub out the meat, gravy mix (there actually are vegan brown gravy mixes available) and beef broth for the following:
pounds cremini mushrooms (baby bellas), trimmed and sliced
Add ½ teaspoon salt
Add ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Add 6 cups vegetable broth
Before placing everything in the slow cooker, put the mushrooms, salt and dried time in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 5 minutes so the mushrooms will release a lot of their moisture. Discard the moisture from the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms to the insert and proceed with the stew ingredients as written.

Stop Top Directions

In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced red onion and garlic. Cook 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
1 yellow or red onion, 3 garlic cloves
Optional: Brown the beef (for deeper flavor):Add the beef stew meat and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges get a little color. (You can skip this step if you want to keep it simple.)
2 pounds beef stew meat
Add the chopped potatoes, dried cranberries, gravy mix, salt, pepper, and beef broth. Stir well to dissolve the gravy mix. Add the rosemary sprigs.
4 medium red potatoes, 1 yellow or red onion, 3 garlic cloves, ½ cup dried cranberries, 1 package of your favorite brown gravy mix, 1 tsp kosher or sea salt, ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper, 6 cups beef broth, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Bring the stew to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 to 2 ½ hours. Stir occasionally, checking for tenderness. The stew is ready when the beef is fall-apart tender.
Thicken if you want:Mash a few potato chunks and stir them back in for a thicker broth.
Remove rosemary sprigs, stir well, and spoon into bowls.

Instant Pot Directions

Sauté (optional but great):Press Sauté on the Instant Pot. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then the onion and garlic. Cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the beef and sauté for another 3–4 minutes just to lightly brown the edges. (You can skip sautéing and go straight to pressure cooking if you prefer.)
1 yellow or red onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 pounds beef stew meat
Press Cancel. Add potatoes, dried cranberries, gravy mix, salt, pepper, and beef broth, stirring to dissolve the gravy mix. Nestle the rosemary sprigs on top.
4 medium red potatoes, ½ cup dried cranberries, 1 package of your favorite brown gravy mix, 1 tsp kosher or sea salt, ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper, 6 cups beef broth, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing.
Cook on High Pressure for 35 minutes.
Allow 10 minutes natural release, then release the remaining pressure manually.
Thicken if desired:If you want a thicker broth, press Sauté and mash a few potato pieces into the stew until your desired consistency is reached.
Remove rosemary sprigs, stir well, and spoon into bowls.

Notes

Notes & Tips

No need to brown the meat. The long cook time develops deep flavor on its own, keeping the recipe simple and truly hands-off.
Sweetness level: The cranberries soften and melt into the broth, adding a subtle sweet-tart balance. Add an extra tablespoon of cranberries if you want the flavor a little more pronounced.
For thicker stew: Mash a few potatoes and stir them back in, or simmer uncovered (Instant Pot) to reduce the broth slightly.
Add more veggies: Carrots or parsnips work beautifully. Just remember to increase the broth to 7 cups if you add a lot of extra vegetables.
Vegan option: Use mushrooms, vegan gravy mix, and vegetable broth. Be sure to microwave the mushrooms first so they release their liquid before cooking.

Nutrition