Artificial Food Coloring Free Crockpot Beef Barbacoa Stew
Slow-cooked beef stew is one of those deeply satisfying meals that can quietly hide a surprising number of synthetic additives — especially in store-bought spice blends, broths, and sauces that rely on artificial dyes or color-enhancing agents to look the part. This version keeps everything completely clean by building its rich, burnished color the honest way: from deeply seared chuck roast, golden turmeric, and a braising liquid made with bone broth and coconut aminos. The result is a stew that looks stunning in the bowl without a single drop of anything artificial. Chunks of sweet potato and carrot soak up the spiced, tangy braising liquid over eight hours of low-and-slow cooking, turning impossibly tender alongside beef that shreds at the touch of a fork. The aromatics — ginger, garlic, Ceylon cinnamon, and a splash of apple cider vinegar — give the whole pot a warm, complex depth that tastes like it took far more effort than it did. Finish it with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime and you've got a bowl that's as vibrant and flavorful as it looks, with nothing to second-guess on the ingredient list.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the beef
- 3 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
For the braising liquid
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 cups bone broth
- 2 bay leaves
For the stew
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½-inch chunks
For serving
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels and season all over with the salt. Heat the coconut oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef on two sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker insert.
- 2
Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, oregano, and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, until the spices are fragrant and evenly coat the aromatics.
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