Slow cooker Poor Man’s Stew is hearty and budget friendly
Looking for a budget meal this week? I made this Poor Man’s Stew for $6.24 and it feeds 5 people! I put ground beef, russet potatoes, carrots, onions, a garlic clove (not pictured, I had this on hand), tomato paste, water and seasoning in my slow cooker simmered it all day to make this Hearty Poor Man’s Stew.
The inspiration for this meal came from my favorite old movie The Princess Bride. This week I finished the book As You Wish- Inconceivable Tales from the making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes (the man in black), a fantastic read if you are a big fan of the movie. My husband and I watched the movie again after we both read the behind the scenes book, and had quite a few good laughs knowing what the characters had been through during the scenes. I made a stew similar to the one seen in the movie where Fezzic (Andre the Giant) hand fed Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) a hearty stew trying to get him sober, so they could go find and save Westley.
If you haven’t seen The Princess Bride, you will still love this budget Poor Man’s Stew. Not only is it cheap, it is very easy to make and really hits the spot. I recommend serving this stew with regular loaf sandwich bread slathered with butter. Enjoy!
Below is the YouTube video about how to make this Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew. You Can follow me on YouTube, here.
Slow Cooker Poor Man's Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef browned and drained
- 1.5 lbs potatoes diced large
- 3 carrots sliced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 garlic clove minced (I had this on hand already)
- 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
Slow Cooke Size:
- 5 quart or larger
Instructions
- Add the cooked ground beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic to a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.
- In a small bowl whisk together the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, onion powder and oregano. Pour this mixture over everything in the slow cooker. Stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Serve with buttered sandwich bread. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
You may also like: Slow Cooker Chicken with Bacon Gravy
Maria says
February 10, 2015 at 8:03 amThank you for sharing the recipe. I’ll be making it this weekend.
Rachael says
February 10, 2015 at 10:48 amI am making this, this week! It looks and sounds delicious!
Joni Hamilton says
July 2, 2017 at 8:00 amThis is a very easy recipe to put together but I must say the taste was extremely bland even after adding the spices. If you make it, you may want to dress it up a bit. Maybe that is why it’s called “Poor Man’s Stew”.
Taylor says
July 23, 2017 at 10:28 amI made it with beef broth instead of water and added a packet of dry onion soup mix and a ranch seasoning packet. Cause I thought it was a little bland as well. Adding those ingredients seemed to add quite a bit of flavor!
Anonymous says
August 15, 2018 at 10:51 amSo I’m currently making this for today’s dinner and did add the beef broth. Hoping that’ll do it justice but as someone who loves making puertorican food I’m thinking of adding a packet of Saźon, a tbsp of homemade sofrito and a tsp of chopped cilantro. I will post a pic after the meal is done.
Amanda says
October 11, 2018 at 2:47 pmHow much beef broth did you use?
Connie says
February 10, 2015 at 1:03 pmI am so making this. Thanks you for yummy recipes and a wonderful blog to read. Thanks for sharing.
Christie says
February 10, 2015 at 2:27 pmbrilliant idea to make the stew with ground beef.
Shelby says
February 10, 2015 at 4:34 pmSounds good to me! Hubby loves meals like this one. Hearty and satisfying!
Mary Ellen says
February 10, 2015 at 6:46 pmI am going to make this on the weekend. I’ve been hungry for some comfort food and this looks perfect!
Hot Eats and Cool Reads says
February 11, 2015 at 12:50 pmWhat a great recipe, Sarah! I love inexpensive, hearty meals like this!!
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says
February 11, 2015 at 1:25 pmHearty, less than $7 to make, and it feeds 5?? Sign me up! 🙂
Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry! says
February 11, 2015 at 4:24 pmI love meals where everyone can be satisfied for under $10! Great recipe, thanks for sharing!
Grandma Kc says
February 12, 2015 at 8:14 amLooks yummy but I had to laugh at your price for meat! We don’t have Fred Meyer’s in California — Stater Brothers has about the best prices and ground beef 80/20 not the extra good stuff is currently at $5.29. Thank goodness I have a freezer in the garage and a seal-a-meal so that I can buy it when it is on sale which is not often enough! (or low enough!)
D- says
March 23, 2015 at 4:38 pmI also noticed the price of ground beef?? but then all beef has really rose in price here on the east coast!
Robbie says
February 15, 2015 at 7:21 amI’m going to use stew meat, I know the simmer time should be fine, but should I add extra waters or beef broth??
Sarah Olson says
February 15, 2015 at 7:29 amThere is quite a bit of liquid in this recipe, it should turn out great.
theresa says
May 23, 2015 at 10:19 amI noticed that there wasn’t a lot of liquid, could you replace the water with beef broth? Just wondering where the flavor for the liquid w ok ll come from? Does the liquid get thicker if not I was going to use cornstarch
Mary Ann says
June 8, 2015 at 9:17 amI was thinking there wasn’t much liquid, also. I just made the recipe and put it in the crock-pot. I actually did add another cup of beef broth. I will check on it after the 6 hours and see how it looks. Thank you!
Jennifer Bricker says
October 7, 2016 at 2:59 pmThe starch from the potatoes in the recipe should be enough to thicken the broth.
Christina says
August 30, 2016 at 6:22 pmCan I use ground turkey ?
Sarah Olson says
August 31, 2016 at 9:44 pmI know others have with luck!
Cathy says
February 17, 2015 at 8:12 amSounds so delicious I’m going to buy the ingredients when I do my shopping and I’m looking forward in making this dish.:)
Marie says
February 18, 2015 at 1:16 pmIs it okay to keep it on low for 11 hours or will it over cook? I have long workdays and would like to put it on before I leave in the morning and have it ready in the evening.
Sarah Olson says
February 18, 2015 at 3:57 pmThe longest I would cook this type of recipe is 8 hours. Next time you are in the market for a new crock pot, I highly recommend one with a timer. So many more recipes can be made with it!
Beverly Gonzalez says
August 8, 2016 at 1:38 pmYou are so right Sarah about the new cockpots with timers! No 2 crockpots cook alike either so experiment a little and you’ll find how long you can cook different things. No more than 8 hours for this recipe because any longer would turn potatoes to mush. I used beef broth instead of water and didn’t find the need to thicken it. Our beef prices here in Arizona are higher in rural areas than in the city. I bought 80/20 ground beef and butter ball 93/7 ground turkey on sale and mixed it together when I cooked it. Wow great flavor. This dish is a keeper!
Araceli says
October 11, 2016 at 6:49 amDo you cook the ground beef before putting it in the slow cooker or add it raw
Sarah Olson says
October 11, 2016 at 7:00 amI cook it.
Anonymous says
December 5, 2018 at 1:58 pmI sear it first
Robbie Ashcraft says
August 27, 2015 at 5:42 pmYou could set your crock pot on a timer. That is what I do. I bought a timer you plug into and set it to come on so it will be done when I get home.
Bonnie Vogeler says
January 25, 2017 at 8:55 amif you use a timer, don’t you have to let your ingredients set in the crock pot? is that safe? I leave for work at 7:30 am so if I would set the timer for 9:30, the hamburger has set out for 2 hrs.
Sandy Quinn says
March 3, 2018 at 4:37 pmIt will still be fine. The crock pot will keep it hot, even when it’s off.
Patricia Honberger says
February 18, 2015 at 3:10 pmForgot to put the onion powder in the recipe. 🙂
Sarah Olson says
February 18, 2015 at 3:56 pmThanks Patricia! I’ll fix that.
Lynn says
February 18, 2015 at 4:16 pmOne of my absolute favorite movies!! I never get tired of watching it. Everyone in the cast was perfect! Thanks for telling us about the book. I’ll have to get it.
Sarah says
February 20, 2015 at 11:31 amIn the crockpot now but with ground turkey breast since we don’t eat beef! Looks great!
Sean says
February 23, 2015 at 4:46 amI made this on Friday and you talk about delicious! I added more garlic and instead of water used chicken broth/stock. This is a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing this one!
B says
February 24, 2015 at 4:08 pmWould ground turkey work with this? TIA!
Sarah Olson says
February 24, 2015 at 5:21 pmI don’t see why not!
Karla M says
June 29, 2016 at 7:50 amid like to use 2 pounds of beef because we always need left overs. Do I need to change anything else for the extra beef?
barb evans says
June 29, 2016 at 9:28 amYes, I often use ground turkey, it’s very good.
Enjoy
Sarah Olson says
July 5, 2016 at 7:44 amI think it may work still, if it looks dry maybe add some beef broth to stretch it.
Jools says
March 4, 2015 at 7:51 pmThis was the bees knees, so delicious, rich, tasty, so full of flavor…. hard to believe it was so inexpensive !
kyleigh says
March 10, 2015 at 6:47 pmI’m so excited to try this, I just put everything together & can’t wait to start it in the morning! This is my first crockpot meal ever!
Sarah Olson says
March 10, 2015 at 6:55 pmHow exciting!
Grandma says
March 20, 2015 at 8:12 pmFor the person who has to work extra long hours, do the beef the night before and put it back in the freezer. Use ice cubes instead of water, and leave the vegetables larger. This should make longer hours of cooking okay.
June says
March 25, 2015 at 6:17 amMade this last night for supper. I used everything you had in the recipe, at the end had to put a little water in and let it cook. It was awesome, my husband even loved it, and he is a very picky eater. I will made this again, and past the recipe on to my friends. Thanks
Rick says
March 28, 2015 at 10:02 amJust curious……..the top of the recipe says cook for 5 hours, while the bottom says 7 hours. Is 5 long enough? Thanks.
Sarah Olson says
March 28, 2015 at 1:27 pmThanks for letting me know. I fixed it. I think 6 hours would be best to insure the potatoes and carrots get tender.
Rick says
March 28, 2015 at 3:57 pmThanks for the fast reply. I checked after 5 hours and it still needs another hour…can’t wait!
andrea says
March 30, 2015 at 5:18 pmThis was Delicious!!!! I added a can of cream of mushroom soup to the hamburger meat after draining. YUM!!!
Jennifer says
April 8, 2015 at 9:35 amjust want to be clear, are all the ingredients cooked before you put it n or just the ground beef??
Sarah Olson says
April 8, 2015 at 10:14 amJust the ground beef gets cooked first. 🙂
Mari says
April 21, 2015 at 10:28 amThis was just ok for me. If I were to make it again, I’d use a pound of potatoes and make up the difference with more carrots. I used very small red potatoes (about 2 inches diameter) and I quartered them. I set the cooker on high and it took 7 hours for the potatoes to get done. I don’t think I will make this again, sorry.
James says
April 24, 2015 at 2:53 pmJust made this tonight with a few improvisions. Delicious. We even added twice as much water to make it stretch. Gonna try some veggies or beans in it the next time around. Yum
Sarah Olson says
May 3, 2015 at 4:11 pmPaste. Thank you! I will fix that when I get home!
Sarah
Jen says
March 22, 2019 at 3:10 amThe recipes states it’s 5 servings. How much is a serving (i.e, 1 cup, 3/4 cup)?
Sarah Olson says
March 22, 2019 at 6:37 amI don’t have that info, sorry! I just approximate how many people I think the recipe will feed, I don’t have the time to measure out recipes right before serving dinner.
Deb says
May 5, 2015 at 6:19 amI love, love, love the pix you show with your recipes! I like to see EXACTLY which ingredients people use! Thx for a GREAT recipe! I MUST get you cookbook! 🙂
DearCreatives (@DearCreatives) says
June 4, 2015 at 12:02 pmLooks great can’t wait to try. Pinned for later.
Beanie says
June 4, 2015 at 3:11 pmIt is a very yummy meal. My boyfriends family has been making it for years. All tough they call it cowboy stew, and they use ketchup instead.
bre says
August 17, 2016 at 4:53 pmKetchup instead of tomato paste? If so how much?
Sandy O says
June 5, 2015 at 8:47 amLooks like a great base recipe but I’d want to add some frozen and/or canned veggies, such as kernel corn, lima beans, peas, mushrooms, etc. That way, it would be a complete one-pot meal. I’d also add one can of crushed tomatoes, or even Rotel tomatoes for the extra kick.
Debra says
January 11, 2017 at 11:58 amThe possibilities are probably endless once you have a base. It doesnt look like hou can go wrong tweaking to your own tastes.
Tine says
September 16, 2017 at 6:19 pmThat sounds great, but then it wouldnt’ be a poor man’s stew. Only the rich can afford such diversity. 😉
wayne says
June 5, 2015 at 6:48 pmWhat part of the country do you live in? Hamburger in Texas is $4.99 a pound!
Sarah Olson says
June 5, 2015 at 7:53 pmI live in Oregon. It has been pretty spendy recently here too.
Jenny K says
June 5, 2015 at 7:06 pmI used to make something similar, but it’s been a long time. Ground beef is between $6-$7 a pound! We’re too poor for poor man’s stew! LOL
jennifer says
June 9, 2015 at 4:24 pmCannot wait to try it … Love simple , hearty and satisfying meals . I’m drooling just thinking about it !
sarah jackson says
June 10, 2015 at 11:53 amIts in the slow cooker right now ! cant wait till its done !
Nick says
October 18, 2016 at 11:57 pmHow was it?
Yvonne says
June 11, 2015 at 3:11 pmIve been making this for years, its yummy and my kids loved it, its a variation of Scottish Stovies basically it has more meat in it than stovies, which has more potatoes
Maureen says
June 24, 2015 at 1:37 pmMy slow cooker is 4 quarts. Is there any way to reduce this recipe to make it fit?
Sarah Olson says
June 24, 2015 at 2:17 pmI think it may fit, but may be tight,. I would add a few less potatoes if it didn’t fit.
Maureen says
June 24, 2015 at 2:24 pmThanks! I’ll try that.
Cecilia says
February 21, 2017 at 7:06 amWhat can I substitute tomato paste with? I don’t have any on hand? I have beef stock? Ketup? Is there a good substitute?
Patti says
July 1, 2015 at 7:33 pmI plan to make this some next week. I love to use my slow cookers & love the recipes here! I saw the comments about the cost of ground beef and it is expensive in the store. I buy my 93% lean hormone free natural ground beef from Zaycon. I think it is around $3.77 lb now. They cut out the middle man & deliver by truck. I know this sounds strange, but they are very popular & have been shown on several news shows. It is the best tasting ground beef that I have had in a long time. The bad news is that you have to order a case of 40 lbs. I heard about this on a money saving coupon site that I belong to. A lot of the people just split the order with family & friends. I have a freezer & food saver. I cook about 10 lbs & make 1 lb frozen packages that are ready to add to spaghetti, lasagna, or recipes like this that call for cooked meat. I freeze the rest in assorted ways. Some into patties for burgers, 3lb packages for meatloaf, 2lb & 1lb packs. Their boneless, skinless, chicken breast are also amazing & stay very moist when cooked in the slow cooker. Their website is http://www.zayconfresh.com.
Anna says
July 18, 2015 at 3:36 pmDon’t forget any kind of ground beef can be de-fatted especially in a super flavor packed recipe. After you brown, place in and rinse with hot water. The fat is gone! Works great! I learned this trick from a RD friend of mine… Same with turkey, as long as you add good flavor, no one knows!!
Anna says
July 18, 2015 at 3:39 pmShould say place in sieve and rinse under hot water… 🙂
Sarah Olson says
July 18, 2015 at 4:37 pmI do this all the time. We got a butchered cow once, and the ground beef was over 30% fat. I always cooked and rinsed it, if I didn’t there would be a inch of grease after the meal cooled. 🙂
Darlene says
July 24, 2015 at 8:53 pmMade this for dinner tonight and served it with homemade bread…FABULOUS!! I subbed ketchup for the tomato paste and beef broth for the water. So happy there are leftovers. I didn’t have time to put this in the crockpot so I just browned the beef, added everything else, brought to a boil and simmered for 45 minutes….easy peazy!
Maria says
August 3, 2015 at 12:25 pmIf I cook on high how long do you think it will take?
Sarah Olson says
August 3, 2015 at 4:36 pmMy guess would be 5 hours. 🙂
Shannon says
August 19, 2015 at 10:35 amI’m making this right now. I only had the ground beef and seasonings so I had to buy the potatoes, carrots and paste. It came up to $6.91. The potatoes were the most expensive thing. I too had to add more water. And on the seasoning I added extra because there wasn’t much flavor. But in a few hours we’ll see how it turns out, can’t wait!
kristi says
August 20, 2015 at 7:24 pmSo good! I doubled everything, but I will have leftovers for a while! I don’t usually do leftover, but definitely will with this!
Beth Green Lackey says
August 28, 2015 at 8:38 amI make this myself but with other veggies, mainly because I was tired of the regular stew but wanted a hot meal for my children.
I call it my Italian stew! The only difference is that I add shell pasta close to when the potatoes and carrots are done.
Sarah says
August 29, 2015 at 8:19 pmI added mushrooms and doubled the seasoning and water.
Lindsay says
September 12, 2015 at 7:50 amMine is in the crockpot now. I made a few changes. Added beef broth instead of water, a package of beef stew seasoning, a can of seasoned diced tomatoes
Sarah Olson says
September 12, 2015 at 8:24 amGreat ideas! I’m sure it will taste amazing!
Yvy says
September 22, 2015 at 5:52 pmI’m so interested in making this with sweet potatoes – either all sweet or half russet and half sweet potatoes. Thoughts, anyone?
kaylee says
October 7, 2015 at 11:49 amI was hoping to do the same thing, anyone try it? Did you try it out? 🙂
Sandy Quinn says
March 3, 2018 at 4:30 pmI’ve done that and it’s great.
DeeDee Cherie says
September 26, 2015 at 3:14 pmHi, I dont own a crock pot, is there a way to cook stove top? I love stew esp for the cold winter months and would love to try this one. Thanks
Sarah Olson says
September 26, 2015 at 3:19 pmI think you could cook this on the stove top, just cook until the veggies are tender stir often. 🙂
Ashley says
September 28, 2015 at 10:55 amThis looked\sounded so good and hearty! I have it in the crockpot now. I did add more seasoning and water. I was tempted into putting some corn in there, but decided not to. Can’t wait for it to be done 🙂
Sarah Olson says
September 28, 2015 at 11:29 amSounds great Ashley! If you change your mind about the corn, it can always be stirred in at the end, I often do that.
Sonya says
October 5, 2015 at 12:22 pmMade this and it was wonderful. ….making it again tonight, but do you think I could put it on high. …and if so. …for how long?
Sarah Olson says
October 5, 2015 at 1:42 pmI’m glad you liked it! I would think 4-5 hours would work good on high. 🙂
Judy says
October 13, 2015 at 11:21 amMade Poor Man Stew today . l used have sweet potatoes and hafe russet potatoes . It was very good! Will make again.
Sarah Olson says
October 13, 2015 at 11:42 amThank you for dropping by to tell us the results. I’m going to try that next time.
Caisie Russell says
October 27, 2015 at 12:52 pmIf I don’t have 6 hours to cook this can I set it on high and do it for maybe 4 hours??
Sarah Olson says
October 27, 2015 at 1:00 pmI think that would work fine! Just don’t open the lid, so the veggies will get tender.
Erin A says
November 9, 2015 at 3:26 pmI have made this, as is, and its a hearty, tasty, and inexpensive meal (even when ground beef is nearly $6/lb!). Ive also made a few changes, and id like to share those:
1) i have omitted the carrots to fit my family’s taste (i dont know whats wrong with thwm! Lol) and added other veggies, such as corn or peas or green beans.Tastes great and i use the frozen bags. This recipe is also great to just toss in any leftover vegetables into (even broccoli or squash!) It ends up being like a vegetable beef stew. Sometimes need to add the non root vegetables in towards the end (last half) of cooking time, also more liquid may be needed.
2. Vegetable, Beef, or chicken broth/stock are great substitutions for the water.
3. One time i accidentally bought the Italian seasoned tomato paste. It was so good, and i didnt need to add the oregano, that now i purposefully buy the seasoned paste. Saves me a few seconds in the kitchen.
4. I cut the veg up in much smaller pieces since i have a toddler. This makes it cook faster. Also, ive cooked this on the stove top. Since i diced all the veg, nice and small, i was able to cook the beef add the veg and everything was cooked within an hour. I let it simmer (to really get the flavors incorporated) for another half hour and it was just a great as the slow cooker version. So if you decided to make this last minute, it takes about 2 hours from cooking the beef to eating it, if you do it on the stove top.
5. Ground turkey or chicken work well. Also, i dont always add the amount of meat this calls for…i usually add a lot less…and its still just as hearty and filling.
Overall this is a great and versatile recipe that you can customize to your family’s taste and diet preferences…and so budget friendly!
Shevon says
December 5, 2015 at 4:18 pmCan this be frozen ahead of time like other crock pot freezer meals?
Sarah Olson says
December 6, 2015 at 7:37 pmHi Shevon. I’ve heard potatoes don’t do well freezing. So I wouldn’t do it myself. 🙂
Kathy says
December 6, 2015 at 8:46 amGround turkey works fabulous in place of beef in pretty much anything plus its cheaper than ground beef. You can get a tube of name brand ground turkey at Walmart for around $2.25.
Teresa says
December 31, 2015 at 2:26 pmWhen I was a single mom and after Jeff and I first got married I made this all the time
Christine says
January 11, 2016 at 6:52 amI would like to make this but replace the beef with chicken breast ( then shred it before serving), and use chick stock instead of water and add corn. Do you think it will be okay? No one likes what I make anyway so I have nothing to loose…lol.
Sarah Olson says
January 11, 2016 at 7:16 amThat sounds good, I think it will be fine. As long as you will like it that’s all that matters, right! 🙂
Joseph H says
January 21, 2016 at 7:44 amMaking this now and can’t wait to try it! Adding corn, peas, and any other veggies I have laying around. Can never have to many veggies, and helps stretch it. Definitely an inexpensive meal which is great for us! Ground beef here is $2.99-4.29! I used to think it was high, but now I see we are lucky to have cheaper beef here! Thanks for sharing the recipe and I look forward to trying more of your recipes!
Sarah Olson says
January 21, 2016 at 12:59 pmI can’t wait to hear how it turned out! Corn and peas sound great!
Kathy says
January 31, 2016 at 12:59 pmMade this the other night and this recipe needs alot more seasoning.. Very bland.
Amanda says
February 3, 2016 at 4:11 amI forgot to cook the meat first. I hope it still turns out good 🙁
Janice says
February 3, 2016 at 3:41 pmThis turned out great! The only changes I made were beef broth and baby carrots. I only cooked for about four hours on low. Plenty of liquid. Delicious!!!
southernplate says
February 8, 2016 at 7:20 amThis stew looks delicious! I’m afraid, though, that I still haven’t caught my breath from the very thought of someone never having seen The Princess Bride! Thank you for sharing on Meal Plan Monday!
Rebecca says
February 15, 2016 at 11:40 amI got a late start this morning, can I cook it on high for 4-6 instead of low for 6-7?
Sarah Olson says
February 15, 2016 at 11:51 amI think that would work fine!
Rebecca says
February 15, 2016 at 11:59 amPerfect! Well see how my husband likes it!
Lizzie says
February 18, 2016 at 5:46 pm$3.85 for a kg of mince beef wow! Over here we pay $15 a kg and up
Cheryl says
February 22, 2016 at 7:35 pmMy mother used to make this all the time when we were growing up she called it Irish Stew and we all loved it but no tomatoes in it. A crusty Italian bread and we were in Heaven…I still make it not too often but once in awhile after seeing it here I just peeled the carrots for tomorrow,,,Making it…Thanks for the reminder…
Sarah Olson says
February 23, 2016 at 5:32 amGlad to help Cheryl!
Stephanie says
March 2, 2016 at 9:09 amSeems like it would taste very tomatoey with all of that paste. Does it?
JoAnn Chamness says
March 18, 2016 at 7:49 pmI wanted to make this on stove top like my dad use to to. I just figured an hour’s time. I am 52 yrs. now and I still remember how good this stew was when I was 7. My dad used lots of green beans and some green peas to this exact reciepe. Loved it then and still do. Thanks for posting since I had lost the reciepe and couldnt quite remember how simple it was.
Amber says
April 3, 2016 at 11:52 amI made this before and it came out very dry. Should I double tomato paste and water???
Sarah Olson says
April 3, 2016 at 1:41 pmOr add some beef broth?
Amanda says
April 12, 2016 at 11:59 amI just wanted to let you know that I made this a couple of months ago. I froze the leftovers and we reheated them last night for supper (love pulling something out of the freezer on a busy night!). The stew was just as tasty as the first time we ate it (if not more so)! Thanks for an easy and delicious recipe!
Sarah Olson says
April 12, 2016 at 12:53 pmThanks for coming back and letting me know how it was. So excited to hear that it reheats well after being frozen!
Philo in AZ says
April 22, 2016 at 7:40 pmPoor man’s stew has cabbage as the second most ingredient because it is so cheap. Look it up.
Michelle says
September 26, 2016 at 9:56 amCarrots and potatoes are also cheap. Cabbage is NOT a required ingredient.
Burling willow says
May 9, 2016 at 7:50 pmI made this today , I followed recipe upto the water I added 11/2 cups extra plus 1 bouillon cube and I added frozen peas last 20 mins of cooking .. I put temp on high last 20 min. It was delish my family lived it do much . Thanks for sharing
Patricia Salazar says
May 11, 2016 at 11:36 amI will be making this for dinner
Anna says
May 26, 2016 at 12:40 pmDo you have a Sams Club nearby? This week 80/20 ground chuck was 2.68 a pound in a 10 lb roll. I cut it into the size I want and freeze it. Smaller packages are x few pennies more.. They also have 90/10. I have always been pleased. I also watch the local sales ads. Anna
Courtney says
June 13, 2016 at 1:28 pmMaking this right now. I used baby boomer potatoes and cut up baby carrots. It had been cooking for about 2 hours when I peeked in and I saw I needed to add more water. I added about a half a cup more. I taste tested it and added much more seasoning plus tumeric and a dash of chili powder. I turned it to high because my potatoes weren’t getting as done as I would like. Broth would be a much flavorful option if you want to add in that cost, but water is doing pretty well. I plan on serving this over grands 7 layer biscuits 🙂
barb says
June 21, 2016 at 5:36 pmCould this be made with ground turkey, do you think it would turn out as good? My husband isn’t a fan of beef.
Tracy Smith says
August 27, 2016 at 12:30 amI accidentally bought ground chicken a while back, could ground chicken be a substitute for the burger in this?
Sarah Olson says
August 27, 2016 at 7:35 amI think it would be good!
Kasey Evans says
September 3, 2016 at 7:33 pm9 hours later and my potatoes are still not cooked…how is noone else having this problem?
Jeri says
October 6, 2016 at 9:30 pmI had the same problem the last time I made beef stew. Does anyone have any suggestions? Partially cook the potatoes first?
Sarah Olson says
October 6, 2016 at 9:34 pmI had this happen once. The only thing I can think of is that the potatoes are old? Maybe sat on the shelf too long at the store. Normally if I don’t peek at the food in the crock pot the potatoes turn out tender.
Janice says
September 4, 2016 at 7:30 amThis is a great recipe! I gave it a little more of a twist as I added a can of corn, pinto beans and stewed tomatoes with a can of beef broth added for extra flavor. It is a hearty and very satisfying meal.
Zong says
September 12, 2016 at 6:35 pmHey, is the broth suppose to cover the veggies ? I have quite a bit of veggies so was just wondering how much broth I need. Thanks.
Sarah Olson says
September 12, 2016 at 7:01 pmIt pretty much looks just like the photo. If you added more veggies, you may want to add a little beef broth or a touch more water. 🙂
thedynamitemoms says
September 26, 2016 at 7:38 pmTried this recipe the other night for dinner. Changed a couple things to make it work with the ingredients I had on hand, still tasted amazing. This will be a meal made a lot of the winter months, I see it now 🙂 I’ll be giving a shout out/review of my experience making it on my blog page as well. While giving a link as to where everyone can find the recipe 🙂
Gert says
October 6, 2016 at 5:11 amI wish I understood why the cooking time for this has to be that long. I have very oten made something similar with a fraction of that time and it’s delicious!
Sarah Olson says
October 6, 2016 at 6:25 amOn low in the slow cooker?
Bete says
October 7, 2016 at 9:02 amHi! Can I cook this on high for 4-5 hours? I don’t have time to cook it on low. Thanks! Bete
Sarah Olson says
October 7, 2016 at 9:40 amI think that would work fine! Keep the lid on so the potatoes get tender.
Erica Mary Eleanor says
October 8, 2016 at 8:29 amI live in NW WA and buy 3lbs of organic ground beef from Costco for $19. But, I will be using home grown veggies from the garden so that helps cut down the cost, and everything can be organic for less expensive.Growing potatoes and carrots is so easy if you have a little space! You can even grow lots of food if you have a sunny balcony or patio and a few containers.
Jeri says
October 22, 2016 at 5:44 pmTried your recipe tonight with great success. I did substitute stew beef for the hamburger and I used beef broth instead of water. Cooked on low for 7 hours and it was excellent. I use a 4 quart pot by the way. I think someone was asking whether a 4 quart would be too small and it was just fine.
Laura Mann says
October 25, 2016 at 10:30 amI just found your website and amazing recipes.. your a “local” facebook/pinterest celebrity 🙂 Awesome!!
Fred says
October 27, 2016 at 7:30 pmThis recipe came up in my facebook yesterday so I tried it today. Followed the instructions to a t. What an absolute disgrace this was. Very few of the vegetables were cooked. Most were still hard. I have since reposted this and let everyone know what a sad disgrace this is. Worst recipe I’ve ever pulled off the internet.
Sarah Olson says
October 27, 2016 at 9:14 pmDid you leave the lid on the entire time? Or you crock pot can be cooking slow. Try cooking for longer?
Jeri says
October 27, 2016 at 9:38 pmFred, I understand your frustration. I had the same thing happen to me the first time I tried to make beef stew. It’s not the recipe, it’s the nature of slow cooking. Carrots and potatoes are difficult to cook in a crock pot. You either need to partially cook them before you add them to the pot, cut them into very small pieces, or use canned or frozen veggies. Also cook on low for 8 or 9 hours, don’t try to cook on high because the shorter cooking time does not work. I made this recipe just last week and it was delicious.
Alice says
November 12, 2016 at 4:19 pmWhat a pity. I put mine on high for 2 hours, then low for 4 or 5 more and it was fantastic. Really, try again.
Kellie says
December 17, 2016 at 9:09 pmTerrible, my and husband did not like it at all….too sweet even after I added a ton of salt and pepper and carrots and potatoes were still not cooked after 7 hrs ! Total waste of time and money…ended up ordering pizza 🙁
Sarah Olson says
December 18, 2016 at 7:56 amdid you leave the lid on the entire time? Your slow cooker may cook on the slow side if you did leave the lid on.
Kerry says
November 5, 2016 at 6:44 pmMy husband made this today, and it was absolutely wonderful. He used beef broth in place of water, and when the stew was almost done, he stirred in some Bisto for thickening and extra flavor. We look forward to making this dish many more times this winter. Thanks for the recipe!
Brittaney White says
November 5, 2016 at 7:11 pmMade this recipe tonight. Followed it to a t. My husband was the first to grab him a bowl and was pretty excited about it because it looked so good. Needless to say, he was disappointed as it tasted like straight water. No flaver to it at all. Anything I can do right this minute to salvage it?
Sarah Olson says
November 5, 2016 at 7:40 pmAdd more seasonings, salt, pepper, onion powder?
Brittany says
November 9, 2016 at 11:37 amCan I Put the ground turkey I’m using in uncooked and cook on high for 4 hours ?
Sarah Olson says
November 12, 2016 at 6:25 amI’m not sure how that would work, I apologize!
Alice says
November 12, 2016 at 4:10 pmI made this today. I used ground venison and beef broth in place of water and used baby carrots cut in half..about half a bag. I also doubled the garlic. It was GREAT! Really, other than what I did, I wouldn’t change a thing! Thanks for such a great recipe!
Debbie from Florida says
January 6, 2017 at 4:19 pmSarah, it’s in the slow cooker now. I added fresh green beans. We’re looking forward to a yummy lunch tomorrow on a cold 62 degree rainy Florida day. Thank you for this recipe!
Sara says
January 9, 2017 at 5:28 pmI added a can of tomatoes, a tablespoon of tomato paste, some diced celery, and some peas. Yum! Even my picky 3 year old ate it right up
Alice says
January 10, 2017 at 6:40 pmI just commented in November, but my husband asked for it again! I’m changing it up using venison stew meat this time, and wild mushrooms I gathered and froze in the fall. I’m using my 4 quart crockpot thus time and everything first, but it’s close. Here’s hoping it doesn’t boil over. This one’s becoming a staple.
For anyone complaining it’s watery, just use broth instead of water.
Betty R Stidham says
January 14, 2017 at 6:25 pmCan you can this in pint jars??
Sarah Olson says
January 15, 2017 at 3:40 pmCanning is such a science, I wouldn’t be the one to ask this. I think there has to be a certain amount of acidy in the recipe and I do not know the amount here.
Katie says
February 26, 2017 at 5:43 pmI was thinking of making but subbing ground turkey and sweet potatoes, do you think this would work?
Sarah Olson says
February 26, 2017 at 6:54 pmIt would probably turn out fine, it will have less carbs and fat in it, so you may need to add more seasonings for flavor.
Walter says
April 27, 2017 at 11:57 amWhat are my chances of doubling this recipe and stuffing it in a 6 Qt. Slow Cooker. I also have turnips, green beans, squash, and peas i’m hoping to fit.
Sarah Olson says
April 27, 2017 at 12:25 pmHi Walter. I don’t think it would fit, but it would be a chance to make it your own and add all that you want to fit! Add extra sauce ingredients and seasonings and cook a bit longer than the recipe says. Oh and add the peas right before serving. They thaw out in less than a minute in the hot stew.
Walter says
May 1, 2017 at 10:23 amO.K. Didn’t work. Next best thing. I’ve doubled the recipe, and am making this in two 6 Qt. Slow Cookers. My sons birthday today. We got him a Slow Cooker. So I am making this in his Cooker and the same in my Cooker. For some reason, his Cooker holds more than mine.
Lets see…1-1/2 lbs. ground beef, 2 lbs. potatoes, 4 carrots, 8 oz. sliced mushrooms, fried. 6 oz. whole green beans, 6 oz. squash, small green pepper, 1 can, Cream of Mushroom soup. I had cabbage, but I forgot. Each Cooker took the same amount of food. Now I’ll see which one can cook this in 6-1/2 hrs. Have to add more meat next time.
Walter says
May 1, 2017 at 10:26 amOh. I forgot. A can of baby corn, and low sodium beef broth.
Walter says
May 3, 2017 at 7:29 amThis came out excellent! Both cookers took 7 hrs for the carrots and potatoes to cook. Lots of juice. Great flavor. Definitely a keeper.
Dani says
July 6, 2017 at 9:28 amThis is the best post I’ve ever stumbled upon! I love everything about it. The Princess Bride reference especially! One of the (many) reasons I knew my husband was the one was his ability to quote the movie to me at random moments. I’ve always wanted wanted to eat that stew from that moment! Your post just made my day!
DLD says
July 15, 2017 at 5:34 pmThanks so much. I made this tonight and really enjoyed it. I couldn’t get my act together to do this in my slow cooker, so I did it in my pressure cooker. I just didn’t stir after adding the tomato mix (tomatos scorch under pressure). 13 minutes at high and fast release may have been too much, next time will try 10 minutes. Thanks again – so easy I will teach my 12 year old to prepare this.
Tiffany says
November 3, 2017 at 10:55 amThank you for this easy budget friendly recipe!!! I had everything on hand already and I used ground venison instead of beef (so that was free!!) I cooked my onion with the meat and I seasoned that with seasoned salt and pepper. I added celery in with the carrots and potatoes because I had it. I used ketchup instead of tomato paste and added onion soup mix with that the water and the other seasonings. It’s in the crockpot right now. I am cooking it on high with the hopes that it doesn’t take as long, as I didn’t get it going til later than I wanted to.
I’m very excited to try this!
Haley says
November 14, 2017 at 10:19 amThis looks like an awesome dinner idea–I’m looking to cook it for tonights dinner but do not have 6-7 hours; would you recommend putting the crock pot on high for 4 hours or is there a reason it needs to be on low?
Sarah Olson says
November 14, 2017 at 1:32 pmI think it will be fine on high.
Maggie says
November 29, 2017 at 12:36 pmI have this in my slow cooker right now and it smells delicious! And as an added bonus, I spent less on mine than you did yours. I buy my ground beef in bulk and it ends up costing a little less than $2 a pound. I buy 10 pound bags of potatoes for $2.50, so the 1.5 pounds of potatoes were about $0.40. $0.88 for a pound of carrots and I used about $0.30 worth. The tomato paste was only $0.60. I had all the seasonings on hand (I just used onion powder instead of an actual onion because my husband hates the texture of onions) so I spent about $3.30! Can’t wait until this is ready.
Phil says
December 1, 2017 at 5:23 pmThis is just Scottish “mince” as they call it. Toss the tomato paste and use Bisto instead. Slow cooker is a new twist though. We make it on the stovetop in a pot, and have for decades. Lovely!
Sarah Olson says
December 3, 2017 at 8:02 pmInteresting! I’ve never heard of Bisto!
shari says
December 30, 2017 at 4:42 pmcan the leftovers be put into the freezer? if so how long.
thanks
Sarah Olson says
December 31, 2017 at 9:36 amI have not tried, has anyone else?
Sandy Lang says
January 6, 2018 at 3:28 amI’m sure they can. We have frozen soups and stews often and I bring them to work for lunch months later. This type of dish is a staple in our house and we are making this one tonight 🙂
Sandy
Connie says
December 31, 2017 at 4:01 pmThis is very similar to a dish that my mother-in-law taught me many years ago that we call hamburger soup. The only difference is we use a jar of spaghetti sauce, and a little bit of water, (in place of the tomato paste), along with a can of corn. I’ve never tried it in the crockpot, though. What a great idea, Sarah! Thanks for making something we love to eat even more simple. Love this!
Sarah Olson says
January 1, 2018 at 12:25 pmThat all sounds great, I will have to try it that way.
ale43827272 says
February 10, 2018 at 10:48 amcost me $17. I had none of the items.
more salt says
March 31, 2018 at 2:38 pmneeds more salt when done. 1 tbl spoon was not enough.
Noc2424 says
April 7, 2018 at 1:22 pmI’m making this right now. Seems like a good basic recipe. I did add a few extra/different things. I used 1 cup beef broth 1 cup water. I added a can of stewed tomatoes and some celery to it. I used Italian seasoning in it too. Can’t wait, it smells good already.
Honey Hunter says
April 11, 2018 at 5:03 pmSweetie you may have inspired by some old movie to make this, but it has been around longer than you have been alive.
Sadie says
February 26, 2019 at 8:26 pmSweetie, you are incredibly rude!
Sarah Olson says
February 27, 2019 at 12:40 pmI’m much older than this movie, but thanks for the compliment!
Cheryl says
May 6, 2018 at 9:20 amDefinitely going to make this. Your recipe is very much like what we made “back in the olden days” at Girl Scout camp. Just think, I now use a slow cooker instead of a coffee can!! Thanks for the recipe and bringing back a memory.
Sarah Olson says
May 8, 2018 at 5:24 pmThat’s a great memory Cheryl!
Nick says
August 23, 2018 at 5:19 pmI made this but substituted beef for venison and added 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp old bay seasoning and 6 stalks celery. Turned out great!
Bruce says
September 12, 2018 at 2:41 pmHi Sarah,
Made the Poor Man’s Stew. It had a good flavor and I enjoyed it. I delivered some to my mom and she liked it , too. I would suggest checking it after about 5 hours. I left mine go for 7 hours without peeking and it burnt a bit and stuck to the sides of the pot. But, it’s a good recipe and I’ll make it again. Thanks
Anonymous says
October 23, 2018 at 3:15 pmI make this a lot and it’s very popular in my house!! However 7 hours is WAY too long unless you want this to turn into absolute MUSH. I usually cook it for 4 hours and it’s great.
Anonymous says
November 5, 2018 at 4:34 amThis is one of those rare recipes I’ve found that frequently stays in our dinner circulation. I’ve been making it for years. Everyone thinks it’s impossible to eat healthy on a budget and this recipe begs to differ. Thank you!
Sarah Olson says
November 5, 2018 at 4:14 pmThank you for letting me know. So great to hear!
Andy Roberts says
November 9, 2018 at 3:05 amWe love this recipe. The only difference is we add a few good glugs of Worcester Sauce once all the other ingredients are in (We are British and UK based and love the flavours Worcester Sauce adds to stews and casseroles). Thank you for this recipe!!
shanalovesmeat says
December 28, 2018 at 11:14 amSo, I stumbled onto this recipe, and I wrote it all down trying to follow it but my personality has issues with following rules! I ended up using what ever i had similar in my house because Im dead poor. I used can marinara sauce and 2 extra tomatoes, cut up, instead of paste, i added chicken broth from a previous meal, and a whole onion because other than salt and pepper and chili flakes, i don’t have spices very much. I did end up using the chili haha! and I added cut up mushrooms because its my husbands favorite. I didn’t have potatoes so I added about 4 ounces of bean/barley mix to soak up the water. Its thick but really great! I also used raw meat, because I had it cooking around 10 hours while I was at work, and I was afraid it’ll get destroyed. It was like a carrot stew/chili It came out great though! Thank you
Sarah Olson says
December 29, 2018 at 4:51 pmI love what you did with the recipe!
Kath says
January 21, 2019 at 7:07 amIs it possible to do this with frozen ground meat instead of cooking it beforehand? Cook it for longer maybe?
Sarah Olson says
January 21, 2019 at 7:36 pmI’ve seen recipes where this is done. It would probably be fine.
Auri says
January 24, 2019 at 9:45 amIs there a faster way to do it? In the oven?
Danielle says
February 26, 2019 at 4:08 pmI just made this. I added 2 chicken broth cubes and Korean five spice. It gave it a kick
Jennifer says
March 19, 2019 at 4:42 amVery hearty n good ! I made it in my instant pot! I browned the meat and then I cooked on high pressure for 12 minutes with a quick release! Also added one cup of boxed chicken broth to replace one cup of water for added flavor!
Jess says
March 26, 2019 at 10:05 amIt says it serves 5. How much is a serving?
Sarah Olson says
March 26, 2019 at 10:36 amI don’t measure out the recipes, it’s 1/5 of the recipe.