Beef Stew Recipe
There’s no great secret to making delicious stew; just start with good quality ingredients and take your time. Only a long, slow simmer will bring the meat and vegetables to the peak of melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
Ingredients
| 4–5 | pounds | beef stew meat, cut into 2″ cubes |
| 1 | tablespoon | freshly ground black pepper |
| 2 | cups | flour |
| ½+ | cup | butter |
| ½+ | cup | olive oil |
| 1 | large | onion, chopped |
| 1 | tablespoon | crushed garlic |
| 2 | tablespoons | tomato paste |
| 3 | whole bay leaves | |
| 1 | teaspoon | dried thyme |
| 2 | teaspoons | dried basil |
| 1 | teaspoon | dried oregano |
| 1 1/2 | teaspoons | salt |
| 2 1/2 | cups | red wine, drinking quality |
| 3 | cups | beef stock |
| 2 | 28-ounce cans | tomatoes |
| 6 | medium | white potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces |
| 6 | carrots, peeled ahd cut into one-inch pieces | |
| 1 | cup | frozen peas, thawed |
Directions
- Pat the meat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with black pepper.
- Place the flour in a spacious bowl, add the meat a few pieces at a time and toss to coat, shaking off excess.
- Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of olive oil. Heat until sizzling.
- Working in batches, add the meat to the hot fat and brown on all sides. Add more butter and oil to the pan as needed, making sure to bring the fat to sizzling hot before adding the next batch of meat.
- Lower the heat to medium, add more butter and oil if the pan is dry, and add the onions. Cook until the onions are softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, being careful not to burn it.
- Add the tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, basil, oregano, and salt, and cook for five minutes. Add one half cup of wine and mix well.
- Add a one cup of the stock and stir vigorously to deglaze the pan. Cook for three minutes.
- Add the remaining stock, remaining wine, and tomatoes. Mix well and bring to a lively simmer. Lower the heat to medium low—a light simmer—and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for one and one half hours.
- Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for 45 minutes more. Add the celery and continue cooking until the meat and vegetables are fork tender—approximately one to one and one half hours.
- Stir in the peas and simmer briefly.
- Adjust the seasonings and serve.
Preparation Time:
3 ½—4 hours.
