Beef Stew
intro
Tender slow-simmered beef and root vegetables in a rich savory broth, a cozy cold-weather classic that delivers warm, comforting flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and season beef
Pat the 900g cubed beef chuck completely dry with paper towels, then toss evenly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour until every cube is lightly, evenly coated.
Sear the beef chunks
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed 5.5L Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers (do not let it smoke), add beef cubes in a single layer, working in 2 batches to avoid crowding the pan. Sear each side for 2-3 minutes until deep golden brown, about 8-10 minutes total per batch, then transfer seared beef to a clean plate and set aside.
Sauté aromatic vegetables
Lower stovetop heat to medium, add diced onion, sliced celery, and carrot rounds to the same pot using the leftover beef drippings. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions turn translucent and vegetables begin to soften. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons tomato paste, stirring constantly for 1 minute until the tomato paste darkens to a deep rust color and releases a rich, sweet aroma.
Deglaze and build broth
Pour 120ml (1/2 cup) of beef broth into the pot, scraping the bottom thoroughly with a wooden spoon to lift all browned fond bits. Add the remaining 630ml beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1 whole bay leaf. Return seared beef and any accumulated plate juices to the pot, stir to combine, and bring liquid to a gentle rolling boil.
Slow simmer the stew
Once the broth reaches a boil, reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes to prevent sticking on the pot bottom, until the beef is nearly fork-tender.
Add root vegetables
Uncover the pot, stir in the 450g chunked Yukon gold potatoes, adjust heat to maintain a gentle low simmer, re-cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes until potatoes and carrots pierce easily with a fork and beef pulls apart with gentle pressure.
Finish and season stew
Remove the pot from heat, fish out and discard the bay leaf. Stir in 120g frozen green peas, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, then let the stew rest for 5 minutes off heat to allow peas to warm through and flavors to meld before serving.
Tips
2.Keep the stew at a gentle low simmer, not a rolling boil, during cooking; high heat will make beef tough and stringy instead of melt-in-your-mouth tender.
3.This stew tastes even better when made 1 day ahead, as the flavors deepen and meld when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
OMG this stew is an absolute game changer for our Sunday family dinners! I was worried the 2+ hour cook time would be too much for a weekend, but it’s totally hands off once you get the veggies seared and the beef browned. My husband and two picky kids went back for seconds, and I even packed a container for my elderly neighbor who said it tasted just like her mom’s recipe. Only swap I made was adding a handful of frozen peas at the end because we always have them on hand. 10/10 will be making this all fall and winter!
Solid homestyle stew, perfect for bringing to our neighborhood potluck last weekend! The only reason I’m knocking off a star is I felt like the seasoning was a little light for my taste — I added an extra bay leaf and a splash of Worcestershire halfway through cooking to amp up the savoriness. It still got a ton of compliments at the potluck, even with my little tweaks. The potato to carrot to beef ratio is spot on, no sad sparse veggie bits here, which is my biggest pet peeve with store bought or diner stew. Great base recipe to customize!
Just pulled this off the stove and oh my gosh, it is SO good. I meal prepped this for the work week ahead and my whole apartment smells like cozy fall. I was nervous because I’ve never made beef stew that didn’t come out of a can before, and the medium difficulty rating had me stressed, but the step by step instructions were so easy to follow. No weird fancy ingredients, everything was right at my regular grocery store. Can already tell this is going to be my go-to cold weather meal!
I’ve been making beef stew for over 40 years, and I have to say this recipe is right up there with the one my dad taught me to make as a kid. The trick of searing the beef in batches instead of dumping it all in the pot at once? Total game changer, I used to overcrowd the pot all the time and wonder why my beef didn’t have that nice crispy crust. Cooked this up when my grandkids came to visit last weekend, they all asked for seconds and begged me to send the recipe home with their parents.