Description
Hearty pioneer woman beef stew delivers rich, comforting flavors from Oklahoma kitchens. Slow-simmered beef chunks nestled with root vegetables create a classic midwestern meal you’ll savor with warmth and satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil
- 1 bottle (12 oz or 355 ml) beer (preferably a dark or amber ale)
- 4 cups (950 ml) beef stock
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 new potatoes, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsps (30 g) tomato paste
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 g) paprika
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) sugar
- fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Season beef chunks with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then brown meat in batches until deeply caramelized. Remove seared pieces and set aside.
- Aromatics Development: In the same pot, sauté onions until translucent, then add garlic and cook briefly. Deglaze with beer, scraping up flavor-rich browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Liquid Foundation: Return beef to the pot. Pour in beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, paprika, and sugar. Stir to create a cohesive flavor profile.
- Slow Simmering: Bring mixture to a robust boil, then immediately reduce to lowest heat setting. Cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours, allowing beef to become exceptionally tender.
- Vegetable Integration: Incorporate carrots and potatoes into the stew. Continue simmering, covered, for an additional 30-40 minutes until vegetables reach optimal tenderness.
- Final Refinement: Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If stew appears too thick, carefully thin with additional beef stock. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Batch Browning Technique: Sear meat in multiple batches to ensure deep caramelization and prevent steaming, which locks in rich flavor and creates a more complex taste profile.
- Deglazing Depth: Use beer to scrape up browned bits from pot bottom, releasing concentrated flavor compounds that significantly enhance the stew’s overall complexity.
- Low and Slow Cooking: Maintain extremely low heat during simmering to guarantee meat becomes incredibly tender, allowing connective tissues to break down gradually.
- Liquid Balance: Adjust stew consistency by adding beef stock or water if mixture becomes too thick, ensuring perfect texture and preventing dryness.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg