Best Ever Beef Stew Recipe

by

🥣 Best Ever Beef Stew Recipe 😋🤤

This classic beef stew is tender, hearty, and packed with deep, savory flavors. It features melt-in-your-mouth beef, tender vegetables, and a rich, thick gravy-style broth. It’s comfort food at its finest.

✅ Ingredients:

For the Beef:

  • 2 pounds (about 900g) beef stew meat, cut into chunks
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon seasoning salt (or use 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp onion powder)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)

For the Stew:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth (or water + bouillon)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3–4 carrots, sliced into thick rounds
  • 3–4 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced (optional)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

🔪 Instructions:

1. Prepare and Brown the Beef

  1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, seasoning salt, and black pepper.
  2. Toss the beef pieces in the flour mixture until well-coated.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the beef in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan) and brown on all sides. This takes about 5–7 minutes per batch.
  5. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.

2. Sauté the Aromatics

  1. In the same pot, reduce heat to medium.
  2. Add a little more oil if needed, then sauté the onion until soft and golden (about 5 minutes).
  3. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2–3 minutes to deepen the flavor.

3. Deglaze and Build the Stew

  1. Pour in beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  2. Return the browned beef to the pot.
  3. Add Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves.
  4. Bring the stew to a gentle boil.

4. Simmer

  1. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low.
  2. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  3. The beef should become tender and the broth will start to thicken.

5. Add the Vegetables

  1. After 1.5 hours, add the carrots, potatoes, and celery.
  2. Simmer uncovered for another 30–40 minutes, or until vegetables and beef are tender.
  3. If the stew is too thick, you can add a splash of water or broth. If too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce.

6. Final Touches

  1. Remove bay leaves.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper, if needed.
  3. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions:

  • Serve hot with crusty bread, buttered rolls, or over mashed potatoes.
  • Add a side of steamed green beans or a simple salad for a full meal.

💡 Tips & Variations:

  • For extra richness, add a splash of red wine after browning the beef and reduce before adding broth.
  • Want more depth? Try adding a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar or soy sauce at the end.
  • Make it in a slow cooker: After browning the beef, combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours.

Leave a Comment