There’s something about a hearty stew that’s just so comforting and perfect for the cold months of winter. This French-inspired version has lots of herbs and a dash or lemon juice to brighten the rich flavors up. Don’t forget to try my homemade lentil soup recipe!
How do I Make a good Beef Stew?
- To make a good beef stew you need time! Beef stew really needs to cook for a while so all those flavors come together and the the beef becomes fall apart tender.
- Using good ingredients is important too. I love adding fresh herbs like bay leaves and thyme to my recipes.
Some Tips And Pointers
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If you have the time, this stew is great to make a day ahead. Not only do the flavors intensify, but it also allows you to skim some fat off the top, if you’re into that. But it’s totally not necessary. Be sure to serve with lots of crusty bread to sop up all the juices.
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Adding beans, rice or pasta will make this soup even more filling and stretch the portions out.
- I suggest serving with some nice crusty French bread to sop all that broth up.
- If you don’t have a Dutch oven just use an oven-safe pot.
How do You Make Beef Stew on the Stove?
If you’re not going to bake in the oven you can simmer covered on the stove for several hours. Just check occasionally to check consistency, flavor and texture.
How to Make Beef Stew
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Chop up the beef and sprinkle it with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper then set it aside while chopping the vegetables.
- Heat 3 tbsp. of olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until simmering. Add bacon and cook until it’s crisp. About 6 minutes than set the bacon aside.
- Reserve the drippings in the pot and add the beef in batches. Cook until it’s browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.
- Add brandy and the onion to the pot, stirring to remove browned bits. Reduce the heat to medium then add the carrots, garlic, potatoes, and remaining salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.
- Add wine and stir to remove any remaining browned bits. Return the beef to the pot and add tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover and bake for about 2 hours or until the beef and vegetables are tender.
- Just before serving, zest 1 lemon and cut it in half. Stir the zest and the juice of the lemon into the stew. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges and serve with the stew. Garnish with parsley and reserved bacon if desired.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
If you’ve tried this beef stew recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Beef Stew
A Rich and hearty beef stew with potatoes, carrots flavored with notes of red wine and brandy.
Servings 10 people
Calories 298kcal
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
- 2 1/2 lbs. beef chuck roast cut into (approx.) 1-inch cubes
- 4 tsp kosher salt 24g, plus additional to taste
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 4g
- 2 tbsp olive oil 30mL
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon halved
- 1 large yellow onion coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp brandy or bourbon 30mL
- 1 lb carrots 453g, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 lb. baby potatoes halved
- 1 cup red wine 236mL
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, drained
- 1 quart beef stock 946mL
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 lemons
- 1 fresh parsley
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 275F. Sprinkle beef with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper; set aside while chopping vegetables.
- Heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bacon; cook until crisp, about 6 minutes. Set bacon aside, reserving drippings in pan. Add beef in batches; cook until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Add brandy and onion to pan, stirring to remove browned bits. Reduce heat to medium; add carrot, garlic, potatoes, and remaining 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add wine; stir to remove any remaining browned bits.
- Return beef to pan; add tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer; cover and bake for about 2 hours, or until beef and vegetables are tender.
- Just before serving, zest 1 lemon, and cut in half. Stir zest and juice into stew. Cut remaining lemon into wedges, and serve with stew. Garnish with parsley and reserved bacon, if desired.
Video
Notes
If you have the time, this stew is great to make a day ahead. Not only do the flavors intensify, but it also allows you to skim some fat off the top, if you’re into that. But it’s totally not necessary. Be sure to serve with lots of crusty bread to sop up all the juices.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3.7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 807mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4250IU | Vitamin C: 23.9mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3.4mg
*Nutrition Disclaimer
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Hi John,
This stew was delicious…I added Makers Mark and it was yummy. I also served with butter/parsley noodles on the side. It went so awesome today with your soft ginger 🍪. Thanks for making awesome goodness, the whole family is hooked on your You Tube videos. My son’s chemistry teacher loves his experiments, all your recipes, since we are online educating this fall.
I did not think I was going to like it because of the different flavors and ingredients I was unfamiliar with but it turned out to be absolutely amazing! Btw I used the slow cooker instead of the oven and everything still cooked through and was really really good. I follow all of John Kennel’s recipes and never was there a single one that failed me. Anyways, try this recipe you will not regret it.
Thank you Andrea!
Hi John. I didn’t peel anything, just scrubbed. My grandmother always told me the “goodness” was in the skin. I’ve always loved root vegetables so I added parsnips. They are so sweet and delicious- I rarely see them in recipes and few of my friends have ever had them. Do you ever use parsnips? They certainly went well with your excellent stew recipe- my guests raved about it. When I fix mashed potatoes I usually add carrots, onions and parsnips to them as well- not only does it taste wonderful, it adds visual interest to an otherwise standard side dish. The colors and textures combine beautifully. I always want my food to appeal to the eye as well as the tongue. I very much enjoyed watching your stew video, and again- great recipe!
I love this recipe. I made it earlier today as a surpirse dinner for my parents when they were at work. I added more carrots and potatoes but used less beef. Instead of bacon, I melted pig’s fat and added (my dads XD) whisky instead of brandy.
I was skeptical, as I never really liked “wine cooked” meat before but this stew was wonderful.
Instead of putting it in the oven, I just let it simmer for about two hours, and I thickened the broth with flour. (I was skeptical our tray wouldn’t bent under the heavy weight in the oven)
All in all. It was tasty, my parents were happy. And my dad wasn’t even annoyed that I used his whisky!
🙂
Thank you, John! This is the MOST delicious, flavorful beef stew we have ever eaten! I made it in advance of friends visiting, but my husband and I couldn’t help ourselves and have been eating it even for breakfast the past two days! Will be making another potful tomorrow, hoping it will last another week!
As you did in your video, I added 1/2 cup brandy instead of the two tablespoons the recipe called for…….why not more flavor?! Absolutely love your recipes!
Absolutely delicious. Full of flavour!
This beef stew is delicious and was so easy to make! This is definitely going to be my new go-to for dinner parties!
Made this stew on a snowy weekend, was delicious! I added some egg noodles at the end to make it even more hearty for my husband who worked 48 hours straight in a snow storm! Thanks will make again.
Hi Sarah,
That makes me so happy to hear! Adding egg noodles sounds like a great idea.
I’m glad you enjoyed the stew!
Best,
John