Hearty Beef Stew (Printer-friendly)

Tender beef and root vegetables simmered in a savory broth until melt-in-your-mouth tender.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 2 stalks celery, sliced
05 - 1 large onion, chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Liquids & Oils

08 - 3 cups beef stock
09 - 1 cup dry red wine
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Spices & Herbs

12 - 2 tsp salt, or to taste
13 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - 1 tsp dried thyme
16 - 1/2 tsp paprika

→ Thickener

17 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef cubes generously with salt and pepper. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the beef on all sides until a deep golden crust forms, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.
02 - Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pot, sautéing until the onion is soft and translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the aromatics and add the tomato paste, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste and toast the tomato paste.
03 - Slowly pour in the dry red wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the caramelized browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices back to the Dutch oven. Add the sliced carrots, diced potatoes, sliced celery, beef stock, bay leaves, dried thyme, and paprika. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
04 - Bring the stew to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let it simmer gently for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking throughout.
05 - Remove the lid and stir in the frozen peas. Continue simmering uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until the beef is fork-tender and the broth has reduced and thickened to your desired consistency.
06 - Carefully remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the hot stew into bowls and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The broth develops a deep, wine kissed richness that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen, even though most of the time it just simmers on its own.
  • Leftovers the next day are somehow even better, which makes this the rare dish that rewards you for waiting.
02 -
  • Crowding the pot during the browning step will steam the meat instead of searing it, so patience and batches are nonnegotiable.
  • A splash of Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar stirred in at the end can rescue a broth that tastes flat, a trick I learned after a particularly bland batch.
03 -
  • Cut all your vegetables and beef to roughly the same size so every spoonful delivers a balanced bite instead of one giant potato chunk next to a tiny sliver of carrot.
  • Letting the finished stew rest for ten minutes off the heat before serving allows the broth to settle and thicken into its final texture.

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