Beef Stew
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
2 hrs
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Total Time
2 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
721 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Soup
Beef Stew
Description
This Beef Stew recipe uses chuck roast, which provides tender meat chunks after slow cooking, and applewood smoked bacon for smoky depth. The meat is coated with flour and seasoning then browned in batches to lock in juices and build flavor. Aromatics like onion and garlic are sautéed before adding red wine vinegar and dry red wine to deglaze the pan and enrich the base.
The stew liquid includes beef stock, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary, which combine during simmering to produce a robust broth. Carrots, potatoes, pearl onions, and optional mushrooms are added for texture and earthiness. The stew is simmered on the stove or baked in the oven until the meat is tender and the broth thickens.
This dish serves well as a filling main, accompanied by rustic bread or over mashed potatoes. It can be prepared in advance, and leftovers reheat well. For convenience, variations include slow cooker, Instant Pot, or oven methods and it freezes up to three months. Adjust vegetables and seasonings to taste as desired.
The recipe includes notes on using better quality beef, preparing pearl onions, and substitution tips for wine and vegetables, enhancing flexibility. Avoid microwaving reheated stew to preserve texture and flavor.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Bacon chopped, applewood smoked
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 cup dry red wine such as Pinot Noir, Burgundy or. Cote du Rhone, good quality
- 5 cups beef stock or beef broth
- 2 teaspoons beef bouillon
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried, chopped, fresh
- 1 teaspoon thyme or ½ teaspoon dried, fresh leaves
- 4 carrot peeled, sliced diagonally into chunks, large
- 1/2 lb potato cut in small chunks, mini gold or fingerling
- 8 ounces pearl onion optional or to use fresh pearl onions, see note below, frozen, whole
- 8 oz white mushrooms , sliced, (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Add bacon to a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Turn heat to medium-low and cook, turning flipping every so often, until browned. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and then chop into small pieces.
- Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels and add to a ziplock bag with flour, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat.
- Heat the pan with bacon grease over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef in 2-3 batches (so not to overcrowd the pan), adding a little oil as needed, searing for a few minutes on each side, until browned. Remove meat to a plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
- Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add vinegar and wine to the pan, cooking over medium-high heat, and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add beef broth, bullion, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Add beef and bacon back to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Cover and cook for 1 ½ hours or until beef is tender.
- Meanwhile, chop the potatoes, carrots, and slice the mushrooms. Set aside.
- Cook mushrooms (if using): Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a saute pan over medium high heat. Add mushrooms to the pan in a single layer. Cook for several minutes (without touching). Once golden on the bottom, flip to the other side and cook for a few more minutes.
- Add mushrooms, potatoes, carrots and frozen pearl onions to the soup pot and cook for 15-20 more minutes, until carrot and potatoes are tender.
- Taste broth. Season as needed with additional salt, pepper, bullion, rosemary, thyme, or some garlic powder. Add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper, if desired.
- Ladle some of the hot broth into a bowl and whisk the flour into it, until smooth. Add to pot and cook for 2-5 minutes, until broth has slightly thickened.
- Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with artisan bread.
Notes
- Use chuck roast instead of pre-cut stew meat for better quality and tenderness.
- To peel fresh pearl onions easily, blanch in boiling water for 45 seconds then slip off the skins.
- If avoiding wine, omit it and increase beef broth accordingly.
- Beef stew freezes up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating gently on stovetop.
- For baked stew, add potatoes and carrots during last hour and cook covered for 2.5–3 hours at 325°F.
- Slow cooker: Brown meat and onions, then cook on low 6–8 hours; thicken with flour or cornstarch slurry at end.
- Instant Pot: Brown ingredients on sauté mode, pressure cook 35 minutes with natural release, then thicken.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 721 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 721kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 49g | 98% |
| Fat | 42g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 155mg | 52% |
| Sodium | 864mg | 36% |
| Potassium | 1672mg | 36% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 6912IU | 138% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 92mg | 9% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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