Slow Cooker Beef & Mushroom Ragu

 

This recipe came from our July 2025 Meal Prep Workshop.  It's a very simple recipe that you can make ahead and freeze or have it cooking all day in your crockpot now and freeze the leftovers for later.  We usually fix now and freeze the leftovers.  I'll give you instructions for both ways.

Feel free to make substitutions as needed to meet your family's dietary needs and/or tastes.  This time, I did not make any substitutions.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat
• 1 (18oz) jar homestyle beef gravy
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (8 oz) pkg fresh button mushrooms, quartered
• 2 Tbsp Makin' Magic Chicken Seasoning
• Prepared mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice

Here's what you need to do:

1. In a 3-quart or larger slow cooker, combine first 5 ingredients. (I did it in the sequence listed below). Salt and Pepper as desired.
2. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until beef is very tender
3. Serve over prepared mashed potatoes, pasta or rice.

You notice, I used a crockpot liner.  This makes it an easier clean-up.

If you do the Make Ahead & Freeze, you will want to get a gallon freezer bag.  Label and date it. Place in a bowl and fold seam of bag back.  Add items to the bag in the following order:

• diced tomatoes
• Magic seasoning. swish the bag to mix
• add stew meat.  mix well
• add gravy.  mix
• add mushrooms last, gently mix.  Squeeze air out.

It's ready to go in the freezer.  You may want to double-bag it to prevent leakage.  Thaw before dumping into your crockpot.

Tip:  the lid on the Magic Chicken Seasoning is equivalent to 3 Tablespoons.