Description
Classic Beef Stew highlights hearty comfort from French culinary traditions. Robust meat, tender vegetables, and rich broth promise satisfying warmth you’ll savor with each deeply flavorful spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (0.9 kg) beef chuck stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) baby potatoes, halved
- 2 carrots, peeled, cut into rounds
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 6 cups (1.4 l) low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) red wine
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) tomato paste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Searing Proteins: Heat Dutch oven with olive oil over medium-low temperature. Methodically brown beef pieces, ensuring uniform caramelization across all surfaces, approximately 10 minutes. Remove browned meat and reserve.
- Vegetable Foundation: Elevate pot temperature to medium-high. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until translucent, creating aromatic flavor base. Integrate tomato paste and garlic, cooking until paste deepens in color and garlic releases intense fragrance. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Liquid Infusion: Reintroduce seared beef into vegetable mixture. Deglaze with red wine, incorporating fresh thyme, bay leaves, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat, allowing mixture to gently simmer and develop rich, complex flavors. Cover and let ingredients meld together for 35-40 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Potato Integration: Add cubed potatoes to stew, continuing gentle simmering until vegetables reach tender consistency. Remove herb sprigs to prevent overpowering flavor profile.
- Final Embellishment: Fold in frozen peas, heating briefly to maintain vibrant color and texture. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley for visual appeal and herbaceous note.
Notes
- Meat Searing Secret: Brown the beef thoroughly to lock in deep, rich flavors and create a caramelized exterior that enhances the stew’s overall taste profile.
- Vegetable Sauté Technique: Cook onions, carrots, and celery until translucent to develop a flavor foundation that adds depth and complexity to the stew.
- Wine Deglazing Magic: Red wine helps lift browned bits from the pot’s bottom, creating intense flavor layers and tenderizing the meat simultaneously.
- Herb and Seasoning Balance: Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves before serving to prevent overpowering the delicate meat and vegetable flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg