Beef Stew Recipe
Every bite of this beef stew is infused with great flavor from slow roasting in the oven. Combine with beef stew recipe on fresh bread or serve over mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound small potatoes, new potatoes, or fingerlings, cut into halves or quarters
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth or beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups good dry red wine
- 1 pound mushrooms, cut into thick slices
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium size onion, cut into cubes
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2″ thick pieces
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste, divided
- 2 pounds beef broth (or cut beef into 1 piece)
- 2 tablespoons fried olive oil
- 6 ounces bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips
Instructions
- In a large ovenproof saucepan, saute bacon over medium heat until golden brown and fat is released. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon into a separate bowl.
- While the bacon is cooking, place the beef in a large mixing bowl and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle the beef with 1/4 cup of the flour and stir until combined and evenly coated. Transfer the beef in batches into the hot bacon fat and cook over medium/high heat until the beef turns brown (3 minutes per side). Add olive oil if needed. Transfer the roasted beef to a bowl with the bacon.
- Add 2 cups of wine to the saucepan and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom to dissolve the pot. Add chopped mushrooms and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the carrots diced into the onion cubes and 4 cloves of minced garlic and sauté for 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and fry for another minute. Transfer the vegetables to the soup pot.
- Add 4 cups of beef broth, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Return the beef and bacon to the pot, then add the potatoes. Stir the mixture, making sure the potatoes are submerged in the liquid. Cover with the lid and bake in a 325°F oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Notes
For a healthy stew, you can tilt the pot after it comes out of the oven to allow the liquid to pool on one side, then shake off any excess fat.