Old Fashioned Beef Stew
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Look no further for the BEST beef stew recipe! Positively PACKED with FLAVOR, this is the richest, tastiest old fashioned beef stew and we’re confident you’re going to love it as much as we do!
It’s not hard to make an excellent beef stew, but it’s easy to make a mediocre one. There are a few basics tricks to achieving the ultimate depth of flavor and I’m going to share those with you in today’s tutorial for making the BEST beef stew recipe!
Nothing speaks comfort like an old-fashioned beef stew on a chilly evening. And throw in a cozy fireplace and a bear rug and the picture is complete. Well, maybe not the bear rug. I don’t want a hairy, pointy-toothed animal gaping at me while I eat. But definitely the fireplace.
Beef stew is almost iconic. It has defined the term “comfort food” for generations. The best beef stew recipes almost always shares these common features: Beef that is seared brown for ultimate flavor and slow-simmered with carrots, celery and potatoes in a rich sauce seasoned with herbs and red wine. Those are the basic elements that combine to make a simple yet phenomenally delicious stew. And very importantly, it’s the method of preparing it that will transform an otherwise simple dish into a culinary masterpiece. We’ll take a look at those steps in our tutorial below.
Old Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe
Let’s get started! I’ll cover the important keys to achieving the BEST beef stew.
To Coat or Not To Coat, That is the Question
Sprinkle beef with the salt and pepper and then thoroughly coat on all sides with the flour. The question always arises, should I dredge the beef with flour or add the flour with some water later on to thicken the stew? The answer is you can do either. But traditionally coating the beef with the flour is the way to go and there are several reasons for this: The flour helps brown the meat better, the browned flour enhances the flavor of the sauce, and it also enhances the surface texture of the meat. So we’re going to coat it!
Don’t Overcrowd and Generously Brown It
Heat the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy stock pot heavy stock pot until good and hot (when you sprinkle a few drops of water in it they should jump and sizzle). Place the beef cubes in the pot spaced about 1/2 inch apart. That’s a crucial step because that’s what will enable you to sear and brown the beef. If the pieces of beef are too close together they won’t brown. Instead they’ll just steam and you’ll end up with really unattractive, bland and gray-colored lumps of beef. Work in batches so all the beef can be properly browned. This is probably the most important step to achieving a great tasting stew. So be patient, it will pay off! Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
Keep The Browned Bits!
See all that browned and burnt stuff on the bottom of the pot? Your instinct may be to scrape it out before proceeding. Don’t do it! That’s where all the flavor lies. This, along with properly browning the beef, is the key to a fabulous tasting beef stew.
Add the butter, next we’re going to add the onions. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Do I Have To Add The Wine?
Add the wine and bring it to a rapid boil, deglazing the bottom of the pot (ie, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon). Boil for two minutes or until the wine is mostly evaporated. You don’t have to add the wine if you prefer not to, but the wine will add tremendous depth of flavor to your stew and help tenderize the beef. This is an age-old method peasants used to tenderize poor cuts of meat.
For anyone concerned about the alcohol, between the boiling and the long cooking process most of the alcohol will be evaporated. And wine has a relatively low alcohol content to begin with. In fact, when the beef stew is served you probably end up with less alcohol content per serving than the teaspoon of vodka-based vanilla extract you add to your chocolate chip cookies.
Take The Long Way Home
Return that browned beef to the pot. Add the broth, tomato paste and the seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 90 minutes. The long, slow cooking process is going to make your beef stew taste exquisite.
While this is cooking, chop up the vegetables. In case some of you ask, yes you can omit the mushrooms. Don’t like peas? You can omit those as well. If you like you can also add a red bell pepper.
After 90 minutes you’ll have a lusciously aromatic and flavorful base. Add the vegetables, cover, and continue to simmer for another hour. No need to add more flour, your stew will be nicely thickened after an hour.
Your masterpiece is READY! And it’s fantastic the next day as leftovers after the flavors have had even more time to meld.
Serve with some crusty bread.
Enjoy!
For more delicious stews from around the world be sure to try my:
- Guinness Stew
- Irish Stew
- Pichelsteiner
- Beef Bourguignon
- Kalops
- Beef and Pepper Stew
- French Beef Stew
- Feijoada
- Hachee
- Doro Wat
- Sega Wat
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Old Fashioned Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck , cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large yellow onion , cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 large celery ribs cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2-3 medium potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 ounces button mushrooms halved or quartered (depending on size)
- 1 cup frozen peas (can substitute canned but not as vibrant in color)
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnishing
Instructions
- *See the pictured tutorial for more info on the tips to creating the best beef stew.
- Sprinkle the beef chunks with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the beef to coat all sides.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy stock pot until hot (when you sprinkle in a few drops of water they should jump and sizzle). Add the coated beef chunks, spacing them out about 1/2 inch from each other and, working in batches so as not to overcrowd, generously brown the beef on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onions with another tablespoon of butter to the Dutch oven (do not remove the browned/blackened bits in the bottom of the pan) and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes (add a little more oil or butter if necessary). Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the wine, bring it to a rapid boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and boil for 2 minutes or until the wine is mostly evaporated. Return the beef to the Dutch oven.
- Add the broth, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 90 minutes.
- Add the vegetables, cover and cook for another hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot sprinkled with a little chopped fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet January 26, 2015
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I’ve made this lovely stew many times. I open my unit doors and windows while it’s cooking. I do that so my neighbours can smell it !!!!! 😂. It’s been simmering for an hour and just about to add the vegies. The aroma is making me very hungry. So I got another hour to go! Can’t wait!!!!! Delish.
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Denis, thank you!! :)
Here I go making the stew again.
I found the easiest way to coat the beef with flour is to put the flour in a plastic bag, then beef and give it a good shake and mix with hands from the outside of the bag. No messy hands !!!
Can this be made with out the wine that is something I never have
Hi Kim, yes it can, you can use more broth instead.
Hello – Someone else asked if this can be made in a slow cooker and I’d like to know that as well, please. And how about in an Instant Pot/pressure cooker? I’m concerned about trusting it to my erratic induction stovetop. I need to make it this week for incoming UK visitors .
Thank you!
Hi Addie, I haven’t made this in the IP but yes, you can make it in the slow cooker. Following all of the stovetop directions up to Step 5. After adding the broth, tomato paste and seasonings, go ahead and add the remaining vegetables as well. Then transfer everything to your slow cooker cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours. Happy cooking!
O Kim!
did this up this AM & all aftn…what a treat at 7 tonite for the 2 of us.
!
-followed you pretty close, instead of my usual messing around. that’s why it worked!
-going to have to get a diff. kind of rosemary, instead of the longer sprigs I had on hand & used.
-as someone else commented on-yes the ‘sauce was sure ‘watery’ half way thru the Aftn- but -DONT PANIC-rather than messin around trying to add cans or bottles of X Y Z-just do as told- make up your slurry from the ‘watery’ plus added cornstarch & toss back in- close the lid & dont bother the batch as it continues perfecting!
Well done-what a tasty treat Kim, with leftovers TMW… & Marg & I say danke schon from Ontario CDA
john hallman
ORO
Wonderful! Thank you so much for the feedback, John, I’m happy that you and Marg enjoyed it!
It tasted DELICIOUS ! I made it in the morning to serve it for dinner . The consistency of the gravy was perfect, but thin , almost watery when I
reheated it in the evening . What did I do wrong ??
Thank you, Dori, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! The stew is thickened from the flour that’s used to coat the beef in the beginning. Did you make sure to use the full 1/3 cup of flour and thoroughly coat the pieces of beef with it? If you need to thicken the stew further you can simply make a cornstarch/water slurry and add it to the stew at the end.
Tonight will be the 3rd time I’ve made this. A great way to start the winter season. I have always made this with elk in place of beef as my only edit to the recipe. SO good
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Eric, thank you! It really is a great way to kick off the chilly weather. I don’t think there’s a stew I enjoy more than a good old-fashioned beef stew. Thanks again for the feedback!
Can something like this be done without tomatoes or tomato pasted?
Hi James, you can omit the tomato if you prefer, it will still taste good :)
very good
I want to make this for six people in advance and freeze it for two weeks. Should I add potatoes and carrots And mushrooms at the end when I am ready to serve so as not to make the vegetables mushy?
Hi Nancy, it’s generally fine to freeze the carrots and mushrooms with it but I would omit the potatoes as they become grainy and instead add cooked potatoes to it when you’re ready to reheat it. Likewise I would omit the flour thickener and thicken it at the time of reheating.
OMG it was AMAZING. I don’t regard myself as a good cook. So if I can cook it anyone can 🤣🤣. Really enjoyed it and so did my parents. Truly it was delicious 😋😋😋
Fantastic, Rosa, I’m so glad it was a family hit, thank you!
Finally the stew that fulfilled my partners childhood memories. It’s delicious, thank you so much.
I’m so glad, Marg, thank you!
Love, love, love this recipe. How can I thicken the gravy without changing the flavor?
Thank you, Lisa! You can thicken it with either a cornstarch or a flour slurry. Cornstarch will give you a clear/translucent gravy and flour will give you an opaque gravy.
I don’t have any broth. What should I do?
Hi Aaliyah, you can just use water but it obviously won’t have as much flavor.
Can you make this in a slow cooker? Thanks.
OMGOODNESS this recipe is the best. I made it last night and my husband and son are still talking about how good it is. This is for sure a keeper.
Hooray, I’m so glad it was a family hit! Thank you, Yvette!
Have done this recipe a few times, evreyone raves about the flavour.
It’s a keeper
Wonderful, Jeff, thank you so much!