Beef Stew
Beef stew is as versatile and variable as the winter weather but does a great job warming up everyone at the table, no matter what the forecast says. Every home I know of has their own version, all tasty, I tend to use whatever is on hand so it’s a little different every time. My grandmother made a stew that was mostly beef in a very thick gravy servable on a plate, sometimes over mashed potatoes, sometimes the potatoes were in the stew. I like a thick soupy consistency with lots of vegetables that still have some texture. My husband prefers meat that isn’t stringy and soft so we don’t use a crock pot or cook it all day on the stove. I don’t see anything wrong with any variation, it shouldn’t be fussy, just make what you like.
I recommend purchasing the cheapest beef you can find that can be cut into 3/4-1” pieces. Already prepared stew meat is great as well, but I usually find myself cutting down those pieces into a uniform size so why spend extra for meat that wasn’t cut to my preference? If you have some leftover meat from a roast or steak, use that, it all works well.
I love the addition of turnips, rutabaga, and parsnips as they bring great flavor to the party. But, it’s great without as well, whatever you have on hand and time for chopping will be filling and delicious! Stew is really about comfort, warmth, and frugality.
The perfect accompaniment is a fresh biscuit with butter and honey!
Beef Stew
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef economy cut, beef stew meat, or leftovers, cubed ¾ – 1” pieces
- 2-4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp each Salt and pepper
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 large Carrots peeled and cubed
- 2 Parsnips peeled and cubed
- 1 Turnip peeled and cubed
- 1 Rutabaga peeled and cubed
- 1 Potato peeled and cubed
- 2-3 ribs Celery diced in large chunks
- 1 Onion diced
- 2-4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 can 15 oz Stewed Tomatoes
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 15 oz can Beef Broth
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1-2 Tbsp salt add through cooking as needed
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp beef base or 1 bullion cube as needed for beefy taste (optional / as needed)
- Additional Beef Broth or water as needed depending on thickness of broth
Instructions
Directions
- Collect all spices, canned goods, a dish for dredging meat, and a large Dutch oven or soup pot
- Cube your economy cut of beef in bite sized cubes, approximately ¾ – 1” in size. If you’ve purchased stew meat that is already in pieces, you may need to cut them in half or thirds so they’re uniform in size.
- Combine flour with salt and pepper in a pie plate or wide bowl and dredge beef pieces in the flour mixture. Set aside.
- Wash and peel all vegetables, cube into ½ – ¾” bite sized cubes, dice the onion, and chop garlic. Set aside.
- Heat Dutch oven over medium high heat and add olive oil until shimmering. Add beef in stages so the bottom of the pot is not crowded. Brown beef on all sides and remove from pot, repeating and adding oil as needed until all the meat is browned but not cooked all the way through. Set aside.
- Add onions, cook until softened, add garlic and tomato paste, cook for 30-45 seconds.
- Add stewed tomatoes in juice and wine, scrape the bottom of the pan for any bits left from browning the beef. Bring to a simmer.
- Add all vegetables, broth, herbs, salt and pepper to taste bring to a simmer. Check for seasoning and correct as needed. Add beef and enough water or additional beef broth to just cover. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Check for seasoning, add salt pepper, and any desired spices as needed. If you want additional beefy flavor, add bullion or beef base. If you want a thicker stew, leave the lid off and reduce. If you want your beef super tender, continue cooking until consistency is to your liking.
