Keto Beef Stew: Rich and Hearty Slow Cooker Recipe

There is nothing quite like a hearty, simmering stew to warm you up, and this Keto Beef Stew delivers all the deep, savory comfort you crave without the high-carb potatoes. By using radish and rutabaga as low-carb root vegetable substitutes, this recipe achieves the perfect texture and bulk. Furthermore, the beef chuck is browned first to lock in the flavor before being slow-cooked in a rich beef stock for hours. This slow cooker beef stew low carb recipe is the definition of easy, satisfying keto comfort food.

Ingredients for a Savory Keto Stew

• Beef chuck stew meat: Cubed. Browning the meat before slow cooking is essential for achieving deep flavor.
• Salt and Pepper: Used to season the meat before and during the cooking process generously.
• Radish, Rutabaga, Baby carrots, Celery hearts, Yellow onion: A mix of low-carb root vegetables and aromatics that replace potatoes and traditional bulk vegetables.
• Tomato paste: Adds a rich, concentrated, savory depth (umami) to the broth.
• Italian seasoning, Chili powder, Paprika, Celery seed, and Rosemary: A powerhouse blend of spices and herbs that gives the stew its classic, comforting flavor.
• Garlic: Minced; adds a critical savory and aromatic layer.
• Bay leaves: Infused into the broth during the slow cook to add a subtle herbal dimension.
• Beef stock: Provides the necessary liquid for the slow cooker and creates the base for the rich sauce.
• Xanthan gum: A powerful low-carb thickener used at the end to achieve a perfect, hearty stew consistency.

How to Make Keto Beef Stew

This recipe uses a quick browning step on the stovetop to maximize flavor, followed by a long, slow cook, and a simple thickening step at the very end.

1. Prep and Browning

This initial phase develops a deep flavor that cannot be achieved by just adding the meat raw to the slow cooker.

1. Prep Vegetables: To prep, cut up all the vegetables. Radish, rutabaga (carrots if whole), celery, and yellow onion into one-inch pieces.
2. Prep Meat: Also cut up the beef chuck (for easier cutting, place in freezer for 30 mins to firm up).
3. Brown Meat: In a heavy-bottomed skillet, place your cubed meat and season with salt and pepper over medium-high heat brown all sides of the meat. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
4. Sauté Onion: Remove the meat from the pan and add the onions, and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan.

2. Slow Cooking and Thickening

The slow cooker takes over here, tenderizing the meat and softening the hearty vegetables.

1. Assemble: Set your crockpot/slow cooker to low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add your vegetables: radish, rutabaga, carrots, celery, and onions.
2. Season: Season with tomato paste, Italian seasoning, chili powder, paprika, celery seed, chopped garlic, rosemary 2 bay leaves.
3. Cook: Pour beef stock over the top of the pot, stir, add the lid, and cook.
4. Thicken: Once one hour is left, remove a cup of the juices from the crockpot and let cool. Add 1 tsp of xanthan gum, mix very well, and pour back into the beef stew mix and finish cooking for the last hour.

Recipe Notes and Serving Suggestions

• Browning: Beef chuck stew meat: Do not skip the browning step! It adds an incredible layer of deep, savory flavor through the Maillard reaction.
• Thickener: Xanthan gum: It is crucial to let the liquid cool before adding the xanthan gum; otherwise, it will clump immediately and not thicken smoothly. Whisk vigorously.
• Serving: Rutabaga and radish: The rutabaga will soften and become potato-like, and the radish loses its peppery bite during the long cook time, perfectly mimicking the texture of potatoes.
• Storage: Leftovers are excellent and can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The flavor only improves the next day!