Cold weather calls for warm comfort food, and who better to get it from than someone who lives in Duluth, MN, a city not known for its warm weather. Sharon Craig is a fabulous cook, who loves to try new things, especially when she’s entertaining. When she’s not cooking for friends and family, however, her delicious and easy Sharon’s Easy Slow Cooker Stew is a family standby, the ultimate comfort food in the cold Duluth weather. Don’t think this delicious stew isn’t suitable for entertaining, however, it’s perfect for an informal gathering or family group. The addition of red wine and mushrooms raises this yummy stew to a higher echelon – much better than ordinary stews served for everyday, but it takes so little hands-on time, it’s worth making often.

This stew can be assembled in about 20 minutes; the meat needs no browning. Carrots and potatoes are quick to peel and cut, and stew meat or stir-fry beef that is already cut up can be used to save time. Most cooks have condensed soups on their pantry shelves for use in casseroles and soups, as well as carrots and potatoes on hand and meat in the freezer, so this stew may not even necessitate a trip to the grocery store. If planning to be away longer than the cooking time, the slow cooker can be plugged into an inexpensive timer that will start the cooking just in time for the stew to be done at dinnertime; appliance timers are readily available at stores such as Target and WalMart, or they are available online (see below).

For a complete meal, pair this stew with a packaged salad and fresh crusty bread (the automatic bread machine can be programmed in the morning to produce hot and delicious bread at dinnertime).

Cold weather and Sharon’s Easy Slow Cooker Stew – Perfect!

12 Servings

1 pound carrots, (about 5 medium) peeled and sliced
2 pounds potatoes, (about 5 medium) peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
2 to 3 pounds beef chuck, or other inexpensive cut, excess fat removed and cut into bite-size chunks
Salt and Pepper

1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of celery soup
1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup red wine
1/2 to 1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1. Layer the carrots, potatoes, and beef in the bottom of a 4-6-quart slow cooker, sprinkling a little salt and pepper on each layer.


2. Sprinkle the onion soup mix over the beef.


3. Spread the cream of celery and cream of mushroom soups over the top.


4. Set the slow cooker to low and let cook 4-6 hours or until the beef is tender.


5. 30 minutes before serving, stir in the wine and mushrooms.


6. Let the stew cook an additional 30 minutes, then serve.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 333 Calories from Fat 84
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 25% Protein 30% Carb. 43%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 9 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 59 mg
Sodium 916 mg
Total Carbohydrate 35 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g 8%
Sugars 0 g
Protein 25 g

Vitamin A 220% Vitamin C 28% Calcium 0% Iron 25%

If you can't find an appliance timer locally, you can order one from Amazon:

Sylvania SA110 15 Amp Heavy Duty Appliance Timer

Stanley 38425 TimerMax Digislim Daily Digital Indoor Lamp Timer, White, 2-Pack