This traditional French beef stew is the ultimate winter comfort food. After a few hours in the oven, the meat is meltingly tender and surrounded by a rich wine sauce.
This traditional French beef stew, also known as Beef Bourguignon, is the ultimate in comfort food. Chunks of well-marbled beef are seared in olive oil before being gently braised in a wine-based broth with garlic and onions. After a few hours in the oven, the meat is meltingly tender and surrounded by a rich, deeply flavored sauce.
It takes some time to make, but trust me when I say it’s well worth the effort. It’s a one-pot meal that feeds a crowd, as well as is delicious (it’s my all-time most popular recipe). You can also make it a day ahead of time; in fact, you should because the flavor improves with time.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE STEW BEEF AND POTATOES
The most important thing is, to begin with, the appropriate meat cut. You want to buy a well-marbled chuck roast, which means it should have a lot of white fat veins running through it. Steer clear of meat labeled “stew meat,” especially if it appears to be lean (I can guarantee you it will not get tender, no matter how long you cook it).
Use any dry red wine (Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.) that is both inexpensive and drinkable for the wine.
HOW TO MAKE STEW BEEF AND POTATOES
- Start by trimming away any large chunks of fat that are easy to reach, but don’t go overboard with the trimming because the fat helps to tenderize the beef.
- Season the meat liberally with salt and pepper.
- Brown the meat in batches in a large soup pot with a little oil.
- Browning the meat takes some time, but it adds depth and dimension to the stew. (Note: Don’t crowd the pan; if you try to brown all of the meat at once, it will steam rather than sear, and you won’t get all of that lovely color and flavor.)
- Remove the meat from the pan and add the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. The vinegar will loosen and flavor all of the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.
- Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add the tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute.
- Return the beef to the pan and sprinkle with flour.
- Mix until the flour is completely dissolved.
- Add the broth,wine, water, thyme, bay leaves, and sugar.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and braise for 2 hours in the oven.
- Add the carrots and potatoes after 2 hours.
- Return to the oven for another hour, or until the meat is fork-tender, the broth has thickened, and the carrots and potatoes are tender.
- Please feel free to modify the recipe to your liking. You can omit the potatoes and serve over buttered egg noodles, or add frozen peas or sautéed mushrooms at the end. In any case, it’s hearty comfort food for a cold night.
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How to make stew beef
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
This traditional French beef stew is the ultimate winter comfort food. After a few hours in the oven, the meat is meltingly tender and surrounded by a rich wine sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck (well-marbled), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1–1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal
- 1 pound small white boiling potatoes (baby yukons), cut in half
- 1–1/2 teaspoons sugar
- Fresh chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and position a rack in the lower middle.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper after patting it dry. 1 tablespoon olive oil, heated in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering Brown the meat in three batches for about 5 minutes per batch, turning with tongs; add one tablespoon more oil for each batch. (To properly sear the meat, do not crowd the pan and allow it to develop a nice brown crust before turning with tongs.) Put the meat on a large plate and set it aside.
- A wooden spoon should be used to stir and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan for about 5 minutes. The onions and garlic should also be added. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Sprinkle flour over the beef and its juices. Stir with a wooden spoon for about 1 to 2 minutes until the flour is mixed in. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, sugar, and salt to the pot. Then stir everything together. To get the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, stir it with a wooden spoon. Then, bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, put it in the oven, and cook for two hours.
- Take the pot out of the oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and return to the oven for another hour, or until the vegetables are tender, the broth has thickened, and the meat is tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve the stew hot, or allow it to cool to room temperature before storing it in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to serve. If you make this stew at least one day ahead of time, the flavor will improve. Reheat over medium heat, covered, or in a 350°F oven. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
If you don’t have a Dutch oven or covered pot suitable for the oven, you can cook the stew on the stove. The cooking time will be the same, and it should be done on the lowest heat setting.
Nutrition
- Calories: 539
Keywords: beef stew recioe, Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes, stew beef oven recipes, stew beef quick recipe, stew beef soup
That’s look yummy
★★★★★