Perfect Beef Stew (Print Version)
Ingredients:
01 -
2 pounds beef stewing meat, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch cubes.
02 -
1/4 cup all-purpose flour.
03 -
2 teaspoons salt.
04 -
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
05 -
4 tablespoons vegetable oil.
06 -
1 cup red wine.
07 -
2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
08 -
1 medium onion, finely diced.
09 -
1 medium onion, cut into quarters.
10 -
5 cloves garlic, minced.
11 -
4 cloves garlic, whole.
12 -
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.
13 -
2 tablespoons tomato paste.
14 -
4 cups low-sodium beef broth, more if needed.
15 -
3 bay leaves.
16 -
1 bunch fresh thyme.
17 -
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds.
18 -
1 cup celery, diced.
19 -
1 pound mini red potatoes, peeled and halved.
20 -
8 ounces baby Bella mushrooms, stem removed and caps halved.
21 -
Fresh parsley, for garnish.
Instructions:
01 -
Add beef chunks to a large bowl and sprinkle with flour, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat the beef evenly.
02 -
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef in batches to avoid overcrowding and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer cooked beef to a plate and cover with foil. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding more oil as needed.
03 -
Reduce heat to medium and deglaze the pot with red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
04 -
Add butter to the pot and let it melt. Stir in the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 -
Stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and 4 cups of beef broth. Add the browned beef chunks back to the pot along with the quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, and thyme.
06 -
Cover and cook on low heat, occasionally skimming the broth, for about 1 1/2 hours until the beef is tender.
07 -
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Discard the thyme and bay leaves, then add the carrots, celery, mushrooms, and potatoes to the pot. Stir to combine.
08 -
Cover the pot and place it in the preheated oven. Cook for about 1 hour, or until the vegetables are tender. Add more broth or water if the stew becomes too dry.
09 -
Once done, remove the stew from the oven and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If the stew is too thin, use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it by stirring the mixture into the stew and boiling for 2 minutes.
10 -
Serve the stew warm, garnished with freshly chopped parsley.
Notes:
01 -
This classic beef stew is a hearty meal perfect for cold weather. You can easily thicken it with a cornstarch slurry if you prefer a thicker consistency.
02 -
You can make it ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze for future meals. Just reheat it slowly to bring back the full flavors.