You cannot go wrong with classic heart-warming beef stew with hearty vegetables. Slow cooked, fork tender beef with carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms in a luxurious and savory sauce. Yes, please!!! This dish is perfect for a cold snowy Sunday afternoon. With just a 30 minute investment up front, you can sit back with your favorite book or series and let the aroma fill your house with pure beef stew yummyness! You’ll want a crusty baguette handy for sopping up all of the fabulous juices.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Stew Meat – Look for nicely marbled beef chuck. You can get it already cut from the butcher/market or get a whole chuck roast and cut it into 1 1/2 – 2 inch pieces yourself.
- Flour – Dusting the beef in flour helps thicken the sauce, making it rich and creamy. The starch in the flour caramelizes and gives the sauce deeper color and flavor.
- Congac – Deglazes the the pan, helps to moisten the meat, and adds a robustness to the sauce. Substitutes include Brandy, Sherry and white wine. If you don’t have or want the booze (it does cook off), balsamic vinegar to de-glaze the pot. When opting for balsamic vinegar, reduce the amount to 3 tablespoons. Cognac adds complexity and richness but all of these other options will also do the trick.
- Beef Bone Broth – Bone broth is more nutritious and lower in sodium than regular beef broth. Low sodium beef broth is a fine substitute.
- Herbs – Thyme, oregano, basil and Bay leaf layer in even more flavor and complexity. Use marjoram in place of thyme. Italian seasoning can replace the thyme, oregano and basil.
- Carrots – A colorful, hearty vegetable which adds a hint of sweetness.
- Mushrooms – Baby bellas are robust and savory – a great add to beef stew. Button mushrooms work as well.
Preparation
- Dust the stew meat in flour then sear in batches. Remove the meat from the pot. Note: You don’t want to cook all of the meat at once. In order to get a nice sear on the beef, the pot should not be too crowded.
- Add the Cognac (make sure the pan is not too hot as it CAN catch on fire), scraping up all of the brown bits.
- Add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Next add the meat with juices back to the pot along with the broth, water and herbs. Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours.
- Return the pot to the stove and add the carrots and potatoes. Return to the oven for 30 minutes.
- While the potatoes and carrots are coking and softening, saute the mushrooms in butter until golden brown.
- When your 30 minutes are up, return the pot to the stove stir in the mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes.
Note: If you don’t have a Dutch Oven or oven-safe pot, you can make this stew on your stove top. Cook it on low for the same amount of time (about 2.5 hours).
Equipment
Dutch Oven/Le Creuset
PrintBeef Stew
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
You cannot go wrong with classic heart-warming beef stew with hearty vegetables. Slow cooked, fork tender beef with carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms in a luxurious savory sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck (well-marbled), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup Cognac or brandy
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 cups beef or bone broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, oregano, and basil
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch half moons
- 1 ½ pounds white or red baby potatoes, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F
- Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. Dust the beef in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess. In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Brown the meat on all sides in batches, until nicely browned and a bit crusty. Add more oil for each batch. To get a nice sear on the beef, you do not want to crowd the pan. It is important to cook in batches. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a plate.
- Add the Cognac to the pan, stirring until the bottom of the pot is deglazed and the brown bits come loose. Let the cognac cook off.
- Add the onion and cook until tender for about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for one minute. Return the beef with its juices to the pan. Add the beef/bone broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and basil, stirring to combine until it comes to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer to the oven, for 2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the carrots and potatoes. Cover and place back in oven for 30 minutes, until the broth is thickened, the meat is tender, and the vegetables are cooked.
- Meanwhile, in a medium non-stick skillet, sauté the mushrooms in butter on medium-high heat, until brown and tender.
- Remove the pot from the oven. If a lot of fat has rendered, skim it off. Then stir in the mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Spoon into bowls and serve warm. Garnish with fresh parsley (optional).
Equipment
Notes
You want to get nicely marbled beef chuck. You can get it already cut from the butcher or get a whole chuck roast and cut it yourself.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hour 35 minutes
- Category: Meat and Chicken
- Method: Dutch Oven
Keywords: Beef Stew, Stew Meat, Dutch Oven, Stews
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