Feb 272014
 

My favorite beef stew recipe - I took this photo when there was only one bowl left, which had mostly carrots and very little meat in it :)This is the best beef stew that I have ever had…EVER! The red wine was the “key ingredient”. It made the soupy broth so delicious, I could have just eaten the broth with bread and butter….Yum!

I took this photo a little too late. There was only one bowl left, which had mostly carrots and very little meat in it 🙂

Normally, I make beef stew with the leftovers from my pot roast. I have never used wine in my pot roast or stew. However, this was so good I will add the wine to the pot roast next time.

This recipe yielded 6 servings.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 lbs. stew meat or chuck roast, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 yellow onions
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 2 15 oz. cans beef broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 lb. baby carrots, or several whole carrots cut into 1-inch slices
  • 2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch slices
  • 3-4 medium russet potatoes, or 6-8 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. On medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil to a large dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid.
  2. Add beef and brown well on all sides. Add salt and pepper as the beef browns. Remove beef and set aside.
  3. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes, until translucent.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the flour and stir for two minutes.
  5. Add the minced garlic and cook for one minute.
  6. Add wine and de-glaze the pan, scraping brown bits on the bottom. Let wine thicken and simmer for five more minutes.
  7. Return beef to pot and add broth, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme.
  8. Add carrots and celery, and simmer covered for two hours, or until the meat and vegetables are tender to your liking. I like my carrots and celery soft, and the meat fork tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Meanwhile, either add potatoes to stew or boil separately. I like serving white potatoes, not soaked in stew.
  10. Preheat oven if you are making dinner rolls.
  11. Throw some biscuits in the oven while the stew sits for approximately 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.

This is similar to My Mother’s Beef Tips and Gravy, without the vegetables. Just serve over wide noodles.