I've always used my pressure cooker for stews/casseroles. A fraction of the time with the same result as cooking long and slow. (I'm a miser when it comes to spending money on electricity! ) I do agree though that stew is always better the second day.

I only ever make vegetable stew these days.......it's so much easier and quicker than faffing around with meat.........

A question for those who use a slow cooker...Do any of you make dumplings with a slow cooker stew? and when do you add them?

I like really crispy dumplings and find that they never come out well in a slow cooker so I just pop the slow cooker pot into the over for a final 20-30 mins

A splash or two of Lee & Perrins enhances it no end. - but the long & low advice is the best advice overall.

Try a bottle of Irish Stout as the cooking liquor, adds an awesome taste to everything and the gravy is to die for.

Shin Beef is the best meat to use as long as you're cooking it long and low, once the collagen melts into the gravy it gives it a wonderful meaty taste.

Yes I agree with others OP. You are cooking it on too high a heat. Boiling stewing beef will toughen it. Cook it on 150 degrees for at least 3 hours.

My secret ingredient is celery salt. I put about a teaspoonful in every savoury dish I cook.

Try different recipes for stew:

Greek Stifado
Beef Madras
beef bourguignon (basically beef in red wine)
or this recipe from BBC Good Food.

I don't eat stew but whenever my mum makes it she puts curry powder in it to make it a bit more spicy

Agreed.
L&P do a "Special Reserve" version - a bit dearer but it has a fantastic richer flavour.
Also, red wine was mentioned - if you have some try a good glut of decent port.
When you're slow cooking for many, many hours the L&P and port will really enrich the liquid.

Edit: Oops! That's a "glug" not a "glut"!

Thanks for all the advice!
Yes..I tried a lower temperature and cook it longer....worked out wonderfully well!.