Crock Pot Stew Meat and Mushrooms
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Our crock pot recipe for beef stew meat cooks all day to create tender meat and a great meal topped with freshly cooked mushrooms in a delicious wine sauce.
We love beef and mushrooms, so this Crock Pot Stew Meat and Mushrooms in Wine Sauce makes a perfect supper.
Crock Pot Stew Meat Recipe
Cooked all day long in a red wine sauce stew meat becomes so tender and delicious. Served with quartered fresh mushrooms and this easy gravy over rice or potatoes this is one of the best slow cooker meals we make.
This dish tastes great served over rice or Mashed Potatoes and makes plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.
As adults we enjoy the red wine, but this stew meat is also wonderful cooked in cranberry juice. The kids prefer the sweeter flavor of juice.
The onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup make a meaty brown gravy that is sweetened a bit by the red wine. The brown gravy tops the dish off perfectly.
Since the stew meat needs to cook on low and slow for a long period of time I quarter the mushrooms and keep them in good sized pieces. For quicker cooking meals like Steak Tips with Mushrooms I like to slice mushrooms.
Why This Recipe Works:
- Less than 10 minutes of prep and the meat tenderizes all day as it cooks in the slow cooker.
- Tender meat cooked in a mixture that tastes partly like a sauce and partly like a gravy can be served with any starch that you enjoy for a delicious meal the whole family will eat!
- With lots of flavor this meal uses a cheaper cut of meat that helps keep us on track with our grocery budget.
- Red wine substitutes easily for cranberry juice (our favorite), beef broth, chicken broth or even apple juice.
- This recipe is very easy to double in hopes of having leftovers that reheat really well!
Ingredients Needed:
- Beef stew meat – should be a deep red in color and is typically very lean so a longer cooking time is necessary. If much fat is visible trim before cooking.
- Mushrooms – we have tested white mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms and a mixture and they all taste great. We were unable to distinguish the type of mushroom in each bite.
- Red Wine – this flavor will be very distinguishable in the finished recipe, so if you don’t enjoy red wine switch it out for cranberry juice or broth.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup – Can be substituted for cream of chicken or cheddar soup if you prefer, but this one compliments the fresh mushrooms wonderfully.
- Onion Soup Mix – This packet adds more flavor, but you can add some wedges of fresh onions and your favorite seasonings in place of this packet.
Tender Stew Meat in the Crock Pot
Stew meat needs to cook on low and slow for a LONG time to be tender. This recipe tastes best when cooking for a minimum of 10 hours on low. Adding a few hours can help even more depending on the size and tenderness of the stew meat that you’re starting with.
When I want to eat this meal for lunch I’ll toss everything in the crock pot and turn to low before going to bed so it can cook and tenderize all night.
Our family raises beef cattle, so we are fortunate to have beef in the freezer most of the time. There are many different cuts of meat and many different options. We like steaks, roasts, and hamburger in that order, so that’s how we tell the butcher to prioritize breaking down the carcass. Stew meat are some of the smaller pieces that are leftover after cutting up the higher value pieces of beef.
We always get about 4 to 8 packs of stew meat. In this recipe, I used two one-pound packages that came from different processors and I noticed the size of the cubes was very different. So, I got out my kitchen shears to make all of the pieces the same size so that they would cook evenly.
When you purchase from the grocery store the pieces are likely to be more equal in size, but cutting may be necessary for more uniform cooking.
The red wine (or juice) and mushroom soup in this recipe ensure there is liquid to keep the beef moist and tender as it cooks.
How to Make Stew Meat and Wine Sauce in the Slow Cooker
- Add a liner to crock pot or grease crock well
- Mix onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, wine, stew meat and mushrooms well
- Cook on low for 10 to 13 hours
- Serve over noodles, rice or mashed potatoes
Tips for Making Crock Pot Stew Meat
- Don’t decrease the cooking time – at least 10 hours on low is needed to make a tender meal
- Larger halves or quarters of fresh mushrooms work better since this recipe cooks for so long
- Ensure meat is defrosted before cooking or cook time will need to be increased
- All cooking appliances and conditions are different, so you should test these times and guidelines first in your own appliance to determine what adjustments may be needed!
Other Stew Beef Recipes
Step By Step Instructions
Prepare a 5 to 7 quart crock pot with a liner or a generous layer of non-stick cooking spray.
Add stew meat to the crock pot.
In a medium mixing bowl stir wine, cream of mushroom soup and packet of onion soup mix together.
Then add quartered mushrooms and stir well.
I like to wash and quarter the mushrooms a couple days ahead while I’m doing meal prep for a few meals to save time and be more efficient in the kitchen.
Pour this mixture over top of the stew meat and mix gently. Try to avoid getting gravy up high on the side of the crock pot.
Vigorous mixing isn’t necessary since the liquid will surround the beef as it all warms up and cooks.
Cover and cook on low for 10 to 13 hours until meat is tender. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Don’t decrease the cooking time – at least 10 hours on low is necessary to make a tender meal.
- White mushrooms or baby bella both work fine and taste similar in this recipe.
- Larger halves or quarters of fresh mushrooms work better since this recipe cooks for so long.
- Ensure meat is defrosted before cooking or cook time will need to increase.
- I’ve used a 5 quart and 7 quart slow cooker – both work great.
- All cooking appliances and conditions are different, so you should test these times and guidelines first in your own appliance to determine what adjustments may be needed!
More Stew Beef Recipes From Friends:
- Instant Pot Stew Beef
- Stew Meat Chili
- Instant Pot Beef Ramen Bowls
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Rice
- The Best Certified Angus Beef Recipes
More of our Family’s Favorite Meals with Meat:
- BBQ Kielbasa Sandwiches
- Spaghetti Alfredo
- Crock Pot Baked Beans
- Farmhouse Style Chili
- Crock Pot Swiss Chicken & Stuffing Casserole
We hope you enjoy these meals as much as we do!
Crock Pot Stew Meat
Author: JenniferIngredients
- 2 pounds stew meat 1″ to 1 1/2″ cubes
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- 1 small can cream of mushroom soup
- 8 – 12 ounces mushrooms quartered
Instructions
- Add a liner to crock pot or grease crock well.
- Mix all ingredients well and spread mixture in an even layer in the crock pot.2 pounds stew meat, 1/2 cup red wine, 1 packet onion soup mix, 1 small can cream of mushroom soup, 8 – 12 ounces mushrooms
- Cook on low for 10 to 13 hours. Serve over noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Don’t decrease the cooking time – at least 10 hours on low is needed to make a tender meal
- White mushrooms or baby bella both work fine and taste similar in this recipe
- Larger halves or quarters of fresh mushrooms work better since this recipe cooks for so long
- Ensure meat is defrosted before cooking or cook time will need to be increased
- All cooking appliances and conditions are different, so you should test these times and guidelines first in your own appliance to determine what adjustments may be needed!
- Cranberry juice makes a great substitute for red wine
Originally published February 16, 2019 with updates made on April 26, 2023.
How many ounces is the can of soup ???
Great question! A small can is 10.5 ounces 🙂
22.6 ounces?? Recipe says small can so I bought the regular size which is 10.65 ounces. Can you clarify please? Thanks!
I got my recipes mixed up. I’m sorry! This does call for a small can which is 10.5 ounces. I hope you enjoy!
I will need to cook this on a high temperature as I work in 12 hr shifts. How long should I let it cook on high? Also, at what point should I add frozen peas? Thank you!
Katrina
Houston
Cooking it now. So far so good. The smells r to die for
What kind of red wine would you prefer to
Use for this meal?
We don’t drink a lot of wine, so we tend to use whatever we have on hand. If you find some that you really like please let me know!
I cook a lot of beef stews with wine. The one I go to first is Cabernet Sauvignon. IF not that, then a Merlot would work.
Can I substitute the red wine for something else?
Sure! I would try a grape or apple juice. It will change the flavor, but should still taste good. Let me know if you give it a try how it turns out!
Would this work if cooking on High for 5 hours?
With this type of meat, I think it works best to cook it longer and allow time for the tougher parts to really tenderize. If you give it a try on high please do let me know!
This turned out fantastic! Had less stew meat than called for so I added some carrots for the last 3 hrs. Served over eggs noodles & really looking forward to the leftovers today.
So great to hear! Thanks so much for letting us know!
Curious what cut to use if I don’t have stew meat on hand. I have sirloins I could cut up? Would you decrease cooking time?
Great question! Yes, I think the flavors would go well with other cuts of meat, but I haven’t tested them myself. I think other more tender cuts would not take as long to make! Please let me know if you give it a try how it works out 🙂
This was a big hit with the wife. Will definitely be making it again.
Thanks so much for sharing! So glad to hear you love the recipe!
Someone did my shopping for me and picked up stew meat for me instead of meat for stir fry. Since I had just made stew, I looked up another recipe and found this one. The taste was very good but I did not like the texture of stew meat in this dish. I’m going to find a similar recipe or make it again with a different type of meat.
I used stew meat from our last 1/2 cow purchase. The flavors were okay, but the “gravy” was not at all thickened. I removed the beef and mushrooms at the end and thickened the liquid with flour/water, and added a couple of rosemary sprigs. Then I re-added the meat and mushrooms. Served it over polenta.
My mom made something like this growing up. For the person who didn’t feel it was thick enough: my mom tossed the stew meat in flour and salt and pepper, and then seared the cubes quickly before putting them in either a dutch oven or a crockpot. The flour breaks down slowly while it’s all being cooked with a low temp, and thickens the “gravy”. Great recipe to keep on hand – tried it once with pearl onions too….was great.
My new favorite beef stew! Like Alicia mentioned, I flour the meat and then sear. Specifically, I toss the meat in a zip lock bag with 1/4 C flour and some salt and pepper, and sear on two sides. I put this into the slow cooker and then add the soups and wine to the pan, bring to simmer, and then add this to the crockpot. I do this around noon and it is ready before 6 PM. (I put on High until it simmers and then turn to Low.) After about two hours I added 100 g pearl onions.
Everything looks and sounds amazing!
I’m I supposed to make the onion soup mix or just add the mix in dry. I’m new to cooking and this is my first time using the crockpot
Hey There! Great question! Just mix it in dry. Hope this recipe turns out really well for you!
I just wanted to drop by and express my heartfelt appreciation for your incredible recipe. Your Crock Pot Stew Meat and Mushrooms dish has become a favorite in my household, and it’s all thanks to your clear instructions and mouthwatering combination of flavors. The tender beef, earthy mushrooms, and perfectly seasoned broth create a comforting and satisfying meal that never fails to impress. Your blog has been a go-to resource for me, providing inspiration and guidance in the kitchen. Keep up the amazing work, and please continue sharing your delicious recipes with the world. Thank you for making my cooking experience so enjoyable! I am a new blogger, pls. see my page and advise me. thanks
https://healthywould.com/slow-cooker-beef-stew-with-mushrooms/
This was good and never thought of using stewing beef over mash because I usually do this with a roast. I did just that and added garlic and thyme aswell, adding flour and water at the end to thicken the gravy. Also I thought maybe adding peas near the end would give it a nice twist and it turned out amazing. Definitely adding this to our family recipes. Thank you *for a different variation of a similar already used roast croc recipe 🙂
If your substituting the red wine out with the apple juice, cranberry juice or the beef broth how much do we use? The same measurement 1/2 cup?
Hey There! Yes – just use the same amount to keep some liquid in the slow cooker. Hope you enjoy! ~Jennifer