Easy Beef Stew
About this recipe
Beef stew is a classic comfort food that's easy to prepare and hard to mess up, making it a favorite for many home cooks. This version, shared by Lisa Lavery from the CHOW Test Kitchen, emphasizes building flavors throughout the cooking process to ensure a rich and satisfying dish.
With tender chunks of beef, hearty vegetables, and a flavorful broth, this easy beef stew is perfect for a cozy dinner. Plus, the technique of browning the meat and deglazing the pot adds depth to the overall flavor.
Ingredient notes
- Use 3 lb of boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 to 1.5 inch chunks.
- If avoiding alcohol, substitute the 1 cup of red wine with stock.
Tips from Chowhound’s video
- Make sure not to crowd the beef in the pot while browning; this prevents steaming and helps build rich flavor.
- Deglaze the pot with red wine or stock to lift the flavorful bits from the bottom, which enhances the sauce.
- Simmer uncovered for the first hour to allow the liquid to reduce and concentrate flavors before adding the vegetables.
Good to know
- What type of beef is used in this stew?
- The recipe uses boneless chuck roast, which is ideal for stewing due to its toughness that benefits from moist heat cooking.
- How long should I simmer the stew?
- The stew should simmer uncovered for about 1 hour initially, then covered for another hour after adding the vegetables.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Chowhound: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Trim any fat from the 3 lb boneless chuck roast and cut the meat into 1 to 1.5 inch chunks.
- 2
Toss the beef chunks in 1 cup of flour seasoned with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.
- 3
Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering.
- 4
Working in batches, shake off excess flour from the beef and add them to the pot in a single layer. Cook until browned all over, about 4 to 5 minutes, making sure not to crowd the pot.
- 5
Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
- 6
Add 1 diced onion to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
- 7
Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook until the raw tomato flavor has mellowed, about 2 minutes.
- 8
Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of flour and cook for about 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- 9
Deglaze the pot with 1 cup of red wine, scraping up the flavorful bits from the bottom. Cook until the wine thickens, about 3 minutes.
- 10
Return the browned beef to the pot with any accumulated juices, then add 4 cups of beef broth, 2 bay leaves, and 4 sprigs of thyme.
- 11
Crank the heat to high to bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to low and let it simmer uncovered for about 1 hour.
- 12
After an hour, add 3 diced carrots, 3 diced celery stalks, and 4 diced Yukon potatoes to the pot. Cover and let simmer for another hour.
- 13
Just before serving, stir in 1 cup of frozen peas and cook until warmed through. Remove bay leaves and thyme stems before serving.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The serving size and total time were not provided in the source material.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Chowhound’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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