Mains

Beef Stew

Name: Beef Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 kg beef chuck, cut into 3cm chunks; 2 tbsp plain flour; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 3 carrots, sliced thick; 2 celery stalks, sliced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 cup red wine (optional); 3 cups beef stock; 2 bay leaves; a few sprigs of thyme; 500 g potatoes, cut into chunks; salt and black pepper

A slow-braised beef stew — tender chunks of beef and root vegetables in a rich, deeply savory gravy. The kind of dish that rewards patience.

20 minprep

2 hr 30 mincook

6servings

Easydifficulty

Watch it

Watch this recipe on video

See the braise come together step by step on the Eat Do Now YouTube channel.

Ingredients

Method

Brown the beef

Pat the beef dry, season well, and toss in the flour. Sear in batches in the hot oil until deeply browned on all sides, then set aside — don’t crowd the pan.

Soften the vegetables

In the same pot, cook the onion, carrots and celery for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.

Deglaze

Pour in the red wine, if using, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble for a minute to cook off the alcohol.

Braise

Return the beef to the pot, add the stock, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook low for 1.5–2 hours, until the beef is starting to turn tender.

Add the potatoes

Stir in the potatoes and continue simmering, uncovered, for a further 30–40 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.

Rest and serve

Remove the bay leaves and thyme stalks, season to taste, and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

TipDon’t rush the browning step — a deep, dark sear on the beef is where most of the stew’s flavor comes from.