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This hearty grass-fed beef and vegetable stew recipe is wonderful on a cold, snowy winter day. The richness of the beef broth is enhanced with the red wine, garlic, and herbs. The broth is so delicious that I sometimes crave a big bowl of just that. You can add whatever vegetables you would like. For thisrecipe I stuck with the classic carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes, but you can tailor it to fit whatever tastes you like. I actually don’t eat the potatoes, so I sometimes make this without the potatoes and will just serve the stew with some garlic cheddar mashed potatoes for the hubby.
I make this recipe in double and sometimes triple batches, so that I can portion it up and freeze it for easy meals. It reheats nicely, and it’s great to have a hearty,home-cookedmeal at the end of a busy day, withminimaleffort!
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This hearty grass-fed beef and vegetable stew recipe is wonderful on a cold, snowy winter day. The richness of the beef broth is enhanced with red wine, garlic, and herbs. The broth is so delicious that I sometimes crave a big bowl of just that. You can add whatever vegetables you would like.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds grass-fed stew meat (we like it extra meaty)
- 2 quarts beef stock (homemade is best)
- 1 large sweet onion
- 5 large carrots
- 5-7 stalks celery
- 8-15 cloves of garlic (the more the better, IMO)
- 1 pound of potatoes (optional -- you could sub yams or butternut squash)
- 1 cup red wine
- 1-2 tbsp. organic tomato paste
- 6 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh lemon thyme or 1/2 tbsp. dried thyme (more or less to suit your tastes)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried rosemary (more or less to suit your tastes)
- 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- Expeller-pressed coconut oil
Instructions
- Cut your stew meat into bite-sized pieces if it isn't already. Set aside.
- Chop your onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes into bite sized peices. Set aside.
- Mince your garlic.
- In a heavy stock pot (I like my enameled cast iron pot for stews), heat 3 tbsp. expeller-pressed coconut oil over medium-high heat.
- Add your garlic and meat and cook until the meat is browned, careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add your veggies and stir until the veggies are mixed in well with the meat (you might need to add a tad more oil).
- Add the red wine and cook for 5-8 minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off.
- Add the tomato paste and spices. Stir to combine.
- Add your beef stock.
- Cover and bring to a simmer, and then lower the heat. Let simmer for 1 hour and then taste for salt and seasoning. Adjust the seasoning to suit your tastes. I always end up adding a tad bit more thyme for whatever reason. I think it's because I am addicted to lemon thyme. If you want a thicker stew, you can add a little corn starch or arrow root in at this time, but I never do.
- The stew can be eaten at this point (provided the veggies are done), but honestly, it tastes best if it can simmer on super low heat for 3-4 hours before serving.
- This recipe freezes nicely and makes great lunches and dinners when you're in a hurry!
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FAQs
Although I added carrots, little red potatoes, rutabaga and cremini mushrooms, you have plenty of options. Parsnip, turnip, pearl onions, squash and fennel will also work.
How to make beef stew meat super tender? ›
Chuck meat is your best bet for beef stew, but it's also a pretty tough cut so it needs time to break down and become tender. Rush the cooking process and the beef will be tough and chewy. Follow this tip: For really tender meat, cook the stew low and slow, for approximately two hours.
What to add to beef stew to make it amazing? ›
Vegetables: small chopped carrots, celery, and onion or shallot practically melt into the sauce. Mushrooms: button mushrooms are a nod to the quartered mushrooms many classic beef stew recipes call for, but are thinly sliced instead of being left in bigger pieces. Garlic: minced garlic brings lots of cozy flavor.
Why put vinegar in stews? ›
Vinegar can add depth of flavour to soups, sauces, and stews. Especially great for tomato-based recipes, you can add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar towards the end of the cooking process to amplify the flavours of your other ingredients.
What is the tastiest meat for beef stew? ›
Chuck. Chuck is one of the leaner types of beef, making it perfect for stews because it melts into delicious pieces as it cooks. A chuck roast has a large amount of connective tissue, which allows it to retain its moisture during the cooking process.
What vegetable thickens stew? ›
The most straightforward way to thicken soup is to puree the vegetables. Starchy vegetables in particular offer the most creaminess. Try with corn, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, or yams.
Does stew meat get softer the longer you cook it? ›
The longer you cook it, the more tender the meat will become.
When to add carrots to stew? ›
The idea is to cook the carrots and potatoes at the end of the simmering process, so they don't become mushy. Just make sure to keep an eye on the stew to see if you need to add additional broth or water to keep it from drying out.
Does meat get more tender the longer you cook it in a slow cooker? ›
Collagen makes meat tough when cooked quickly, but when slow-cooked, it breaks down into gelatin, giving you that juicy, tender mouthfeel. Fattier — and cheaper — cuts of beef can also be good for slow cooking, because the fat helps to ensure the beef won't dry out while adding extra flavour.
How to deepen the flavor of beef stew? ›
Try adding soy sauce or Worcestershire for extra savory (or umami) flavor, a touch of honey or brown sugar for sweetness, lemon zest or vinegar for brightness or chili powder or smoked paprika for spice and depth.
The Five Most Common Beef Stew Mistakes
- Choosing a meat that's too lean. Stew is not meant for all cuts of meat. ...
- Putting too much flour on the stew meat before sautéeing them. ...
- Not using wine. ...
- Putting the meat and vegetables together in one pan. ...
- Not cooking it enough.
Sear the meat well.
Searing meat takes a long time, and it's tempting to skip it. Don't. Searing the meat until it develops a dark brown crust and a sticky “fond” starts to glaze over the bottom of the pan are both key to creating the kind of rich, caramelized flavors that make stews irresistibly good.
Why put tomato paste in beef stew? ›
A bit of tomato paste amps up the flavor of beef stew, giving it a richness and a punch of umami that makes the stew truly memorable.
Why put celery in stew? ›
(side note) Some of the flavor of the stew liquid is from those vegetables, especially the celery and carrots. You'll probably want to cook some with the meat, even if you discard (or puree) them.
Why do you put lemon juice in stew? ›
To add acid to a dish. All that means is that it tastes brighter and fresher. Citric acid, the kind found in lemon and lime juice breaks down at higher heat so it is added when cooking is complete.
What green vegetables are best for stew? ›
Reach for tough winter greens, like kale, Swiss chard, collard, mustard, beet, or turnip greens to bring freshness to the pot. Be sure to add them toward the end of cooking so they retain some of their texture.
What enhances the flavor of beef stew? ›
There are flavors in tomatoes that are alcohol-soluble, so adding red wine along with tomato paste also helps to enhance beef stew." Laurence has a few other tricks I've borrowed to create the best beef stew, including adding Worcestershire, which gets a serious umami punch from anchovies.
What vegetables are in the stewing cooking method? ›
We stew vegetables by letting them simmer in a bit of liquid and cooking fat. This is done in a covered pan, which can be placed in the oven, where the heat is more evenly distributed than in a casserole. When briefly stewed, vegetables retain their appealing colour and flavour.
What vegetable stew contains? ›
This easy vegetable stew loads up a pot with chunky vegetables in a robust and savory broth for a delicious family dinner. Ladle out a comforting bowl of stew with mushrooms, onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, and fire-roasted tomatoes, and pair it with crusty bread.
