Beef Stew
The goal of beef stew is tender beef and vegetables braised in a fairly thick sauce. I did this on the stovetop but a Dutch oven will work well.
Ingredients
Stew
- 1 pound chuck beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and diagonal cut in 1 inch chunks (about 3 carrots)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup pearled barley (optional)
- 1 stalk celery, big chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 cup white flour
- 2 tsp hi temp oil (Olive or corn)
Marinade
- 1/2 cup good dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon work well)
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
Sauce
- 1 can chicken stock (15 oz) or 2 cups
- 1/4 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 TBL Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
Equipment
Large cooking pot (6 quart) or Dutch oven
Large skillet
Directions
Marinate beef overnight in nonreactive dish (glass or stainless steel).
Remove beef, discard garlic and bay leaf, and save marinade.
Heat skillet on medium. Add oil.
Dredge beef in flour and brown on all sides in a skillet (5 minutes or so). Place beef in pot.
Add 2 TBL oil to skillet and add onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Put all vegetables into pot.
Deglaze pan with 1 cup marinade. Add sauce to pan, stir, and pour into pot.
Put pot on simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours. Stir after an hour. Put barley in 45 minutes before finishing.
Put in peas and cook another 10 minutes.
Serve with crusty rolls.
Doug's Notes
If you want thicker sauce, cover pot about 90% so some water evaporates during simmering. The stew is thicker and tastier the next day.
