Easy Old-Fashioned Beef Stew
User Reviews
5
12 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
15 mins
-
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
-
Servings
4
-
Calories
365 kcal
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Cuisine
American
Easy Old-Fashioned Beef Stew
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This classic beef stew features tender chunks of beef browned and simmered with onions, garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes, and a blend of tomato sauce and beef broth. Flour lightly coats the beef to thicken the sauce during cooking. The stew develops a rich savory flavor and hearty texture, ideal for a comforting meal.
Description
Easy Old-Fashioned Beef Stew begins by coating diced beef in flour to help thicken the stew as it cooks. The beef is browned in butter, drawing out flavor and sealing in juices. Onions and garlic are sautéed until soft and fragrant, then the pot is deglazed with beef broth to incorporate browned bits for depth. Tomato sauce and paste add a subtle acidity and body to the liquid.
Chunky vegetables including celery, carrots, and peeled potatoes are added, making the stew hearty and filling. Seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, the stew is simmered until the meat is tender and the flavors meld. The choice of tender cuts like chuck roast ensures moist results with good marbling.
This stew serves well as a standalone meal or accompanied by bread. The combination of soft vegetables and melting beef chunks offers a classic comfort food experience. Russet potatoes break down slightly to help thicken the broth, giving the stew a desirable consistency.
Using stew meat or affordable chuck roast with some fat content gives better texture and flavor. Yellow or sweet onions can be substituted for red onions based on preference.
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 pound beef stew meat diced into 1/2-inch chunks (which is a mixture of Chuck roast and round roast, or use either of those cuts
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 red onion sliced into thin strips (yellow or sweet Vidalia onions may be substituted, medium
- 3 to 5 garlic finely minced, cloves
- 1 cup beef broth plus more if desired, reduced sodium
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 celery chopped coarsely into 1/2-inch chunks, stalks
- 2 carrot peeled and chopped coarsely into 1/2-inch chunks, medium
- 2 potato peeled and chopped coarsely into 1/2-inch chunks, medium
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste, freshly ground
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the beef chunks, flour, and stir and toss to coat evenly. Tip - Make sure it's evenly coated because this bit of flour helps thicken the stew.
- To a large Dutch oven or pot, add the butter and heat over medium-high heat and swirl the pan or stir it to encourage the butter to melt.
- As the butter is melting, add the coated beef chunks and sear for about 5 minutes, flipping intermittently to ensure even searing on all sides. Remove the seared beef chunks and set aside on a plate or even in the bowl you tossed them in with the flour.
- To the Dutch oven, add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften; stir frequently.
- Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir nearly constantly.
- Deglaze the pot by adding the beef broth and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon or something that won't scratch your pot. Note - When deglazing, a lot of steam will form so stand back a bit as you're adding the broth.
- Add the tomato sauce and paste, and stir to combine.
- Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, salt, pepper, return the seared beef to the Dutch oven, and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the stew simmer for about 90 minutes, or until the meat is tender, and the vegetables are cooked through and tender, but not mushy. Stir occasionally as it simmers. Tips - Pay attention to the flame or burner heat and if they soup is boiling too rapidly, make sure to adjust it down a bit. The goal here is low and slow, not too fast, because low heat and a long simmer time are keys to developing the rich, tender texture of the beef and vegetables.
- After everything is tender and cooked through, taste the soup for seasoning balance. Seasoning Tips - Chances are you will want to add additional salt. If the soup tastes at all flat, boring, or like it's missing something, you'll likely want to add salt which is key to balancing the flavors of the pounds-worth of plain vegetables and meat in the stew. Additional pepper may also be necessary, if desired.
- Broth Level and Stew Thickness - If at any time during the simmering process you notice the level of broth is too low, or you prefer a more brothy stew, add up to 1/2 to 1 cup additional broth, or as desired, adding 1/2 cup at a time. If the stew has too much broth or you want to thicken it up (I doubt this will be an issue as there's only 1 cup broth called for), but the easiest way to do this is at the end to uncover the pot, turn up the heat, and let it boil fast so and some of the volume of the broth will evaporate. You can also create a slurry by mixing about 1 to 2 tablespoons flour with 1 to 2 tablespoons water, and adding it. After adding the slurry, you'll need to keep stirring and stirring, until the stew has thickened as desired and the raw flour taste is cooked off.
- Serve the stew with rice, noodles, with neither, or as desired. Stew will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer or up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or as desired.
Equipments used:
Notes
- The recipe works best with stew meat or chuck roast for tenderness and flavor.
- Russet potatoes help thicken the stew as they break down; waxy potatoes can be used for firmer texture.
- Yellow or sweet onions can substitute for red onions without significantly changing the flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving
Calories
365kcal
(18%)
Carbohydrates
30g
(10%)
Protein
27g
(54%)
Fat
16g
(25%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
86mg
(29%)
Sodium
918mg
(38%)
Potassium
1186mg
(25%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
5340IU
(107%)
Vitamin C
13mg
(14%)
Calcium
60mg
(6%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 365 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 365kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 86mg | 29% |
| Sodium | 918mg | 38% |
| Potassium | 1186mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 5340IU | 107% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 60mg | 6% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
12 reviews
Excellent
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