Beef Stew and Vegetables

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My Beef Stew recipe blends New Orleans's bold flavors with French techniques to create a fantastic filling meal.

Wondering what to serve with beef stew? Try these recipes: Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Southern Cornbread, Sweet Tea, Cheesy Grits, and Southern Hoecakes.

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• Latest Recipe Video:
• Key Ingredients
• How To Make Beef Stew
• How To Store Beef Stew
• Pro Recipe Substitution, Tips & Tricks
• FAQ
• More Comfort Recipes
• Before You Begin
• 📖 Recipe

I love anything slow-cooked and smothered in rich gravy or sauce. It can be served over rice or mashed potatoes, and I will make it disappear in seconds. Growing up, my parents always made this stewed beef minus the red wine. So this is nostalgic for me.

But it wasn't until I got to culinary school and learned how to make a beef Bourguignon that I realized all this time that my family was feeding me gourmet French food.

Anyway, the key to a good beef stew is time. There's no way around it, so make this on a day when you have time and chores around the house to knock out. It may seem like a lot, but you're just dumping everything into one pot and popping it in the oven while you do something else.

Oh, it's important to mention that many people do not like mushrooms; however, a traditional beef stew is made with them, which is why they're in this recipe. Leave it out if you're not a fan.

Let's jump into making a finger-licking pot of beef stew.

Key Ingredients

Before you start whipping up this succulent beef stew, look at this list of ingredients to make sure you have everything you need.

Beef Stew Meat

Humble begins called for stew meat when we couldn't afford chuck roast. It's a great way to stretch a dollar and feed your family.

Aromatics

We'll use the classic beef stew recipe aromatics: onion, celery, and carrots. However, you'll also need a shallot, garlic, dried thyme, and oregano.

Seasonings

I quickly blend kosher salt, black pepper, granulated garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. My Pot Roast Seasoning would be fantastic in this stew.

Unbleached Flour

Using flour is the best and fastest way to thicken beef stew. Not to mention that as the potatoes release their starch, it'll help thicken it, too.

Low-Sodium Beef Broth

Use a brand that you trust. I always go for Kitchen Basics because it's not loaded with sodium and preservatives. Beef stock will do the same.

Tomato Paste

Tomato paste will help thicken the stew and add excellent umami flavor.

Red Wine

I like to use a red wine blend because it has an outstanding balance of flavors, but the rule of thumb is to use whatever you enjoy drinking!

Worcestershire Sauce

I can't imagine making beef stew without it! Worcestershire sauce adds a depth of flavor, and you'll be happy you didn't skip using it.

How To Make Beef Stew

Making the best beef stew requires time, so I like to start mine on the stovetop and let the oven do all the heavy lifting. This is a really flavorful beef stew recipe.

In a small bowl, mix kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne together; season stew meat and set aside while you prep your remaining ingredients.

Preheat oven to 275°F/135°C. Heat a large Dutch oven pot over medium heat, add oil, and cook stew meat for 2 minutes on each side until evenly brown. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Add onion, carrot, celery, and shallots in the same pot, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add garlic, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and flour. Stir to make sure vegetables are covered with flour. Slowly pour in beef broth while stirring to prevent lumps.

Add red wine, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, and beef stew meat. Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid, and bake in the oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, stir in potatoes, cover, and return to the oven for 50 minutes.

Beef will be fork tender when you pierce it with a fork or small knife. It should pierce with ease when done. 

While beef is stewing in the oven, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add butter, and cook mushrooms for 5 minutes, until slightly browned.

Add mushrooms to beef stew, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Stir in half of parsley, serve hot, and garnish with the remaining parsley. If you do not add potatoes, serve the beef stew over my garlic mashed potatoes.

How To Store Beef Stew

After the beef stew has cooled, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days.

To chill a large amount of beef stew rapidly the day before cooking, remove the labels, thoroughly clean two 2-liter bottles, fill them with water, and freeze. After completing your batch, stir occasionally and place one bottle in the pot to expedite the cooling process. Substitute the other bottle if it remains hot after the ice has melted.

You can freeze beef stew in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 2 months.

Reheat beef stew in a pot over medium-high heat until it begins to boil; stir occasionally to keep it from sticking.

Pro Recipe Substitution, Tips & Tricks

Here are the best practices, techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders you'll need for this delicious beef stew.

• A traditional beef stew uses bacon grease instead of oil. You can add some chopped bacon to the dish. First, dice beef bacon and brown, remove from pot, then brown beef in bacon fat. Add bacon back to pot when you add mushrooms.
• You can use chuck roast, sirloin, short rib, or rump roast instead of the stew meat.
• Swap the baby yukon gold potatoes for baby red potatoes or sweet potatoes.
• Add some frozen peas with the potatoes if you love peas in your beef stew.
• Beef broth and beef stock can be used interchangeably.
• You don't have to make this recipe with mushrooms if you do not like them.
• The rule of thumb for wine is to use whatever you enjoy drinking.
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of dry thyme.
• You can make a slow cooker beef stew by cooking everything in a pot, and after you add the beef stock, transfer it to the slow cooker for 4-5 hours on low heat. Do the same for a crock pot.
• To make an instant pot beef stew, brown the meat and saute it for 15 minutes. After you add the stock, add the potatoes, cover and seal them, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.

FAQ

Here are the top questions readers have about making beef stew.

What's a red wine substitute for beef stew?

You can use white wine instead of red wine for your stew, but if you prefer not to use wine, here are some substitutes: Grape Juice, Tomato juice, Balsamic Vinegar, or Cranberry Juice. All of the above you can swap out for equal amounts except for the balsamic vinegar; use half of the suggested amount.

What vegetables are best in beef stew?

The choice of vegetables should be a combination that aligns with your taste and dietary needs. To create a rich and flavorful dish, many classic beef stew recipes include ingredients such as onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, potatoes, turnips, rutabaga, leeks, jalapenos or serranos, and parsnips.

Does meat get more tender the longer you cook it in a stew?

It's always best to cook tough pieces of meat low and slow to break down the connective tissues so they become melt-in-your-mouth tender. However, you want to avoid overcooking the stew, which can make the meat dry and tough. For the best results, cook your stew for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

What is the secret to tender stew?

There are a few steps that lead to revealing the secret to a tender stew:

1. Choosing the correct cut of meat, stew meat, chuck roast, or rump roast are all tough cuts that need time to cook, low and slow to become tender.
2. Season and sear the meat to develop flavor.
3. Add incredible aromatic vegetables like onions, leeks, shallots, celery, and carrots.
4. Add something acidic like tomato paste, wine, vinegar, or a combination of all the above to help tenderize the beef. The final secret is that most stews taste better the next day after the flavors meld.

Do you cook vegetables before putting them in stew?

It's great to cook your vegetables in the same oil you seared your beef in! This way, you can capture all those delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pot and infuse tons of flavor into your final dish. Plus, when you cook the vegetables, they release their natural sweetness, which adds even more depth and deliciousness to your meal.

More Comfort Recipes

Here are a few more yummy recipes to add to your recipe rotation:

• Jerk Oxtails with Rice and Peas
• Chicken and Dumplings
• New Orleans Red Beans and Rice
• Root Beer Braised Short Ribs
• Blackened Chicken Alfredo
• Smothered Turkey Wings

Before You Begin

Before getting started, here are the steps I use to get organized.

Step 1: Read the recipe once to ensure you understand all the steps. Preheat oven to 275°F/135°C before pulling the ingredients out.

Step 2: Measure everything out into individual bowls.

Step 3: Start following the recipe and get your belly ready for your new favorite beef stew recipe.

Embarking on the culinary journey of mastering beef stew is an endeavor of true artistry. It transcends mere ingredient mixing, encompassing the artful layering of flavors, the precise timing of vegetable additions, and the gentle simmering until the beef reaches a state of melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

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