Sprinkle beef stew meat generously on each side with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown meat in a large skillet on each side about 4-5 minutes per side. Use tongs to turn the meat but not until you can do so without it sticking. Brown it in two batches if necessary to keep the meat from touching.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Be careful not to add too much salt. The 1 tsp. is based on using a lower sodium beef broth. You can always add more at the end if necessary.
Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours depending on your slow cooker.