Old Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe
A savory beef stew with chunks of beef browned deep and dark, then slow braised in the oven with red wine, beef broth, carrots, and potatoes until the meat pulls apart with a fork. Everything cooks in one Dutch oven.
Servings 6
Calories 492kcal
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds beef stew or roast meat (cut into roughly 1 1/2-inch chunks)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons avocado or canola oil divided
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet, Merlot, or Pinot Noir (or 1/2 cup extra beef broth plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 4 medium carrots, cut into thick pieces
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Pat the beef dry, season with salt and pepper, then toss with the flour until lightly coated.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high to high heat. Brown the beef in 2 to 3 batches, leaving room between pieces and letting each batch sit undisturbed several minutes to form a dark crust. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining oil and the onion and cook about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring, until the paste turns a darker brick red.
- Pour in the wine and scrape every browned bit from the bottom of the pot. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until reduced by about half.
- Add the beef broth, Worcestershire, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and brown sugar. Return the beef and any juices to the pot and bring just to a simmer.
- Cover and transfer to the 325°F oven for 1 1/2 hours.
- Stir in the carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook another 60 to 75 minutes, until a piece of beef breaks apart easily with a fork.
- Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the frozen peas and cook uncovered on the stovetop about 5 minutes. If the gravy is thinner than you want, simmer uncovered another 10 to 15 minutes, or mash 1 to 2 potato chunks into the broth to thicken it.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the parsley and serve.
Notes
Potato and vegetable size: Use Yukon Gold rather than russet, and cut them larger than you think you need.
Slow cooker: Brown the beef and build the base through the wine step in a skillet, then transfer everything to the slow cooker with the broth, seasonings, carrots, and potatoes. Cook on low 7 to 8 hours or high 4 to 5 hours, adding the peas in the last 15 minutes. The gravy will be thinner, so mash a potato chunk in or stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water and cook on high 10 minutes more.
Make ahead: The flavor deepens overnight, so this is a great dish to make a day early and reheat gently.
Nutrition
Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 1098mg | Potassium: 1764mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 7131IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 6mg
