Tucking into a hearty bowl of tender beef stew is like dinnertime nirvana. Within the rich, beefy broth are creamy chunks of potato and carrots and perfectly tender pieces of beef that fall apart in your mouth. The ingredients are humble, but the resulting stew is completely luxurious. It just might be the single best cold-weather supper ever.

If you've long considered beef stew a Sunday-only dinner affair, then allow me to introduce you to the beef stew you can start on a weekday morning and come home to in the evening.

For Better Beef Stew, Braise in the Slow Cooker

Beef stew, like its cousin pot roast, gets its meaty tenderness from braising — that is, a long, slow simmer in liquid. Beef stew is most often made in a Dutch oven on the stove or in the oven, where the stew cooks for hours until the meat is tender. The stove or oven is on in either case, and so you're tied to the kitchen while it cooks. With slow cooker beef stew, you can use a longer, lower cooking temperature and leave the beef to tenderize while you work (or go sledding!).

Keys Steps for Slow Cooker Beef Stew

• Brown the beef: If you've ever wondered if you really need to brown your meat before it goes in the slow cooker — because who hasn't wanted to skip dirtying a pan? — let me assure you that this step adds a ton of flavor that would otherwise be missed in the slow cooker. Browning the beef with a little flour will help thicken the beef stew as it cooks too.
• Layer the beef and vegetables: Put the browned beef in the slow cooker first and follow with the carrots and then potatoes. Layering the beef and the vegetables prevents the vegetables from overcooking and keeps the beef close to the braising liquid and heat of the slow cooker.
• Use beef broth, red wine, and tomato paste: These three ingredients are for building robust flavor. The red wine is used to deglaze the pan after searing the beef. Cooking it allows the flavor to further concentrate, while some of the alcohol burns off. The beef broth backs up the beef flavor, while the tomato paste lends acidity to an otherwise rich stew.

Serving Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Here's the beautiful thing about slow cooker beef stew: Once you've got everything in the slow cooker, your work is pretty much done. Let the slow cooker do its thing on low for eight hours and then test the beef — it should be pull-apart tender. You can give it a taste and add more salt or pepper if desired, but the very last step is simply serving this gorgeous, beef stew in deep bowls with warm bread for tucking into this cozy comfort.