Hearty Beef Stew
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs 45 mins
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Servings
8 people
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Calories
501 kcal
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Cuisine
American
Hearty Beef Stew
Description
This Hearty Beef Stew begins by dredging beef chuck pieces in a seasoned flour mixture, then browning them in butter and oil to develop a crust that locks in juices. Cooking the vegetables—onion, carrot, celery, and pearl onions—in the same pot lets their flavors blend, and deglazing with robust red wine lifts the browned bits, creating a flavorful base.
The addition of chopped whole tomatoes, beef stock, and tomato paste simmers down into a thick, savory sauce that coats tender meat and vegetables. The stew cooks in the oven at moderate temperature, allowing flavors to meld while the beef becomes fork-tender. Additional flour at the end can be stirred in to thicken the sauce if desired.
This stew works well served as a main course with hearty sides like mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up the sauce. It’s suitable for batch cooking, improves in flavor when reheated, and freezes well.
A 3 to 4-pound marbled chuck roast is ideal for the stew to ensure tenderness and flavor. Cooking the wine down thoroughly removes alcohol taste and enhances richness. This recipe relies on wine for depth; those avoiding alcohol may prefer a different beef stew recipe.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour you'll use 3 tablespoons at first, and then the rest at the end
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt divided, 1 teaspoon for dredging, 1 for tomato thickener
- 1½ teaspoon black pepper divided, 1 teaspoon for dredging, ½ teaspoon for stew
- 3½ lb beef chuck cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup carrot peeled and sliced
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 15 oz pearl onions if frozen, thawed
- 1 ML bottle red wine robust cabernet or burgundy is great
- 1 oz can whole tomatoes drained and roughly chopped
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste heaping
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F (unless using a slow-cooker).
- On a platter, stir together the ½ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Turn the beef pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add half of the floured meat into the pan. Let cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Use a wooden spoon to turn the meat around in the pan, and cook for another 5 minutes until the meat is browned all over. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat to a clean plate.
- In the same pot, add a little more oil, if necessary. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 - 8 minutes. Stir in the pearl onions.
- Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add ¼ cup of flour and the tomato paste. Use a fork to work the paste into the flour. It's okay if it's not completely a paste.
- Return the beef to the pan. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
- Stir in the tomato thickener and whisk for about 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. The stew will continue to thicken as it cooks in the oven or slow-cooker.
- Place the lid on the pot and place in the oven for 1½ to 2 hours until the meat is very tender, stirring a couple of times during the cooking process. If using a slow-cooker, add the stew and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 5 hours. Serve warm with bread!
Notes
- Choose a 3 to 4-pound well-marbled chuck roast for best flavor and tenderness.
- Don’t scrape off the browned bits from the pan after searing meat; deglaze with wine to incorporate rich flavor into the stew.
- Bring wine, stock, and tomatoes to a strong simmer to cook out alcohol and enhance sauce depth.
- The stew keeps well refrigerated for up to one week and freezes for up to two months.
- Avoid this recipe if you prefer not to cook with wine, as it is essential to the dish’s character.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 501 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 501kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 41g | 82% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 145mg | 48% |
| Sodium | 842mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 943mg | 20% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 2875IU | 58% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 67mg | 7% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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