Full Recipe Text
This Slow Cooker Cheesy Bacon Beef & Potatoes is the ultimate hearty, dump-and-go comfort food! Packed with tender, juicy cubed beef, perfectly seasoned potato chunks, and a rich, velvety cheddar cheese sauce, itβs topped off with crispy, smoky bacon for a restaurant-quality dinner made entirely in your crockpot. π₯©π₯π§π₯
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (HIGH) / 7β8 hours (LOW)
- Servings: 6 servings
π Ingredients
- The Meat: 2 lbs beef stew meat (cut into bite-sized 1-inch cubes)
- The Potatoes: 4 large Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cleanly diced into 1-inch cubes)
- The Crispy Crunch: 1 pack (12 oz) Black Label Original Bacon (cooked until crispy and crumbled)
- The Velvety Sauce:
- 1 carton (8 oz) Great Value Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 bag (8 oz) Kraft Sharp Cheddar shredded cheese (divided)
- 2 tbsp butter (melted)
- The Perfect Seasoning:
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste, keeping in mind the bacon and cheese are salty)
π©βπ³ Step-by-Step Instructions
- Season the Potatoes:
In a large bowl, toss your diced potato cubes with the melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and a heavy coating of cracked black pepper until evenly coated. - Layer the Slow Cooker:
Place the seasoned potato cubes on one side of your black slow cooker insert and the raw cubed beef chunks on the other side. - Pour the Cream Base:
Pour the heavy whipping cream evenly over both the beef and potatoes. Take half of your bag of Kraft Sharp Cheddar cheese and sprinkle it right over the top. - Slow Cook:
Cover and cook on LOW for 7β8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours until the beef chunks are melt-in-your-mouth tender and the potato cubes are soft. - The Ultimate Cheese & Bacon Melt:
About 15 minutes before serving, uncover the slow cooker. Give everything a gentle stir to blend the rich cream and juices. Strew the remaining sharp cheddar cheese and all of your crispy crumbled bacon bits heavily across the top. - Final Meltdown:
Pop the lid back on for 10β15 minutes until the cheese forms a gorgeous, bubbling, gooey golden blanket over the entire dish. Serve hot and enjoy that incredible cheese pull! π½οΈ
π‘ Chef’s Pro-Tip
For the absolute best texture, fry your bacon in a skillet until it is ultra-crispy before crumbling it. Adding it during the last 15 minutes of cooking ensures the bacon keeps its perfect smoky crunch against the rich, creamy cheese sauce!