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Beef Stew

Classic beef stew with deeply browned, fall-apart beef, hearty potatoes and carrots, and a rich mahogany broth built by searing and slow simmering. Finished with peas for a fresh pop and thyme for warm, savory aroma.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
Carrots
  • 3 carrots, cut into thick rounds
Celery
  • 3 celery, sliced
Onion
  • 1 onion, diced
Garlic
  • 4 garlic, minced
Frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen peas (added at end)
Beef broth
  • 3 cup beef broth
Red wine
  • 1 cup red wine
Diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and sear the beef
  1. Toss the beef chuck cubes with the all-purpose flour to coat. Heat the Dutch oven over high heat until hot.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sear the beef in batches until deeply browned, about 4 to 6 minutes per batch. Remove the beef to a plate and keep searing until all pieces are browned.
Build the stew base
  1. In the same Dutch oven, sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
  2. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Keep heat high enough to drive off raw tomato flavor.
  3. Deglaze with the red wine, stirring and scraping the pot until the liquid looks cohesive, about 2 to 3 minutes. The fond should lift into the sauce.
  4. Stir in the beef broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire, dried thyme, bay leaves, and browned beef. Bring everything to a boil so the liquid bubbles across the surface.
Simmer and finish
  1. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer, cover, and simmer for 60 to 75 minutes until the beef is very tender. Skim any foam if it rises to the top.
  2. Add the cubed Yukon gold potatoes and cook for 20 minutes, uncovered or partially covered, until tender. Stir occasionally so potatoes cook evenly.
  3. Add the frozen peas and cook for 3 minutes until bright green and heated through. Avoid overcooking to keep their texture.
  4. Remove bay leaves and season the stew with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving with crusty bread.

Notes

For the deepest flavor, brown the beef in smaller batches so it sears instead of steams. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; the stew reheats well and often thickens as it sits. Freezing is yes—cool completely, freeze in airtight containers up to 3 months, and reheat until hot. For a lighter option, use low-sodium beef broth and skip salting until the end.