The Ultimate Beef Stew
My go-to comfort food
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on an angle
- 1 lb. small white boilng potatoes (baby Yukon Gold) cut in half
- 2 cups frozen peas
- chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower middle position.
- Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the meat in 3 batches, turning with tongs, for about 5 minutes per batch; add one tablespoon more oil for each batch. (To sear the meat properly, do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a nice brown crust before turning with tongs.) Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside.
- Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the brown bits from bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more. Add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir with wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and braise for 2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and place back in oven for about an hour more, or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender. Fish out the bay leaf and discard, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Add frozen peas and allow to warm in the soup, about 10 minutes. Serve the stew warm - or let it come to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to serve. This stew improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead. Reheat, covered, over medium heat. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Katie's Tips:
*I add frozen peas (2 cups) to my recipe. I like the pop of color and the added vegetables for my kids. I keep a bag of frozen peas in my freezer for several recipes. They thaw quick and add texture, flavor, and color to recipes. The 2 cups of peas can be added while still frozen right before serving to maintain the bright green color. If you are making the stew ahead of time, make the stew without the peas. When you reheat to serve, add the peas then. They defrost quickly in the soup- about 10 minutes.
*Use a dry red wine that you would be ok drinking. I like to use a cabernet in this stew.
*If you reheat and it needs a bit more liquid, add a small amount of the leftover beef broth. Beef broth comes in 32 oz. containers, so you will have about 2 cups leftover.
*To freeze, complete the recipe excluding the potatoes and peas. Add cooked potatoes and peas after you defrost and reheat.