As others have indicated, low and slow is the secret of stewing and potting. That and the choice of meat.
Less than an hour won't make it, no matter what the cut. So that's your major problem for sure.
By and large, you want what used to be the "cheap" cuts for stewing. Chuck is, as others have pointed out, ideal. Another is bottom round---although not as fatty as chuck it still tenderizes very nicely. In fact, I used some tonight for a Boef Bourgignon and it came out terrific.
Next time you make a stew, try this. Instead of cooking it on the stovetop, pop it in the oven at about 250 degrees. Leave it in there until the meat is tender---which could be anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours. But remember; at very low temps you cannot overcook it. After oven stewing you'll have a better idea of how low the stovetop should be.
The upside to all this is that there's a very shallow learning curve. Soon as you make the first stew correctly you'll never have this problem again.