Hearty Beef Stew
Beef stew is a patience-driven process of searing chunks of chuck until a dark crust forms, then braising them in wine and stock until the fibers soften and the liquid thickens into a glossy, dark gravy.
Commit to the sear.
If you crowd the pan during the browning stage, the meat will steam rather than sear, leaving you with gray, flavorless chunks. Give the meat space and let the crust develop.
- Heavy-bottomed Dutch oven
- Tongs
- Sharp chef's knife
- Wooden spoon
What goes in.
- 3 lbbeef chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 3 tbspall-purpose flour
- 3 tbspneutral oil, like grapeseed or vegetable
- 2large yellow onions, roughly chopped
- 3carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds
- 4cloves of garlic, smashed
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 2 cupsdry red wine
- 3 cupsbeef stock
- 2bay leaves
- 1 lbYukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
Building the foundation
The dark brown bits left on the bottom of the pot after searing the beef are the base of your sauce. When you pour in the wine, use your wooden spoon to scrape every last bit off the bottom.
The method.
Sear the beef
Pat the beef dry with paper towels and toss with flour, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, ensuring each side is deeply caramelized.
Aromatics
Remove the beef. Add onions and carrots to the pot, cooking until the onions soften. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it darkens to a brick red.
Deglaze
Pour in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pot. Return the beef to the pot along with the stock and bay leaves.
The long simmer
Bring to a gentle bubble, cover, and move to an oven preheated to 300°F (150°C). Cook for 2 hours.
Finish
Add the potatoes to the pot. Cover and cook for another 45 minutes to an hour until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork and the potatoes are tender.
Other turns to take.
Mushroom infusion
Add one pound of cremini mushrooms when you sauté the onions for a deeper, earthier profile.
Herbed finish
Stir in a handful of chopped fresh parsley and thyme just before serving to brighten the heavy sauce.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use chuck roast; leaner cuts like round will turn dry and stringy during a long braise.
If the stew looks too thin after the meat is tender, remove the lid and simmer on the stovetop for 10 minutes to reduce.
Stew tastes better the next day; if you have the time, make it 24 hours in advance and reheat gently.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my meat still tough?
It likely hasn't braised long enough. Keep cooking; the collagen in the chuck roast needs time to break down into gelatin.
Can I use water instead of beef stock?
You can, but you lose a significant amount of depth. If you do, double the amount of onion and wine to compensate.
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