Beef Stew

There’s something about a hearty stew that’s just so comforting and perfect for the cold months of winter. This French-inspired version had lots of herbs and a dash or lemon juice to brighten the rich flavors up.

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

• 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.

• 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.

Steps to Make Beef Stew

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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’ve tried this beef stew 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!

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Beef Stew

A Rich and hearty beef stew with potatoes, carrots flavored with notes of red wine and brandy.

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine French

Keyword French beef stew, how to make beef stew, soup, stew recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes

Calories 268 kcal

Author John K.

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

1. Preheat oven to 275F. Sprinkle beef with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper; set aside while chopping vegetables.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

Recipe 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 Facts

Beef Stew

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 268 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 8g 12%

Saturated Fat 3.7g 19%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Cholesterol 86mg 29%

Sodium 165mg 7%

Potassium 807mg 23%

Total Carbohydrates 21g 7%

Dietary Fiber 3.3g 13%

Sugars 4g

Protein 29g 58%

Vitamin A 85%

Vitamin C 29%

Calcium 6%

Iron 19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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