How to Make a Warm and Filling Beef Stew for Dinner
When the weather turns chilly, or you’ve just had one of those days that leaves you craving comfort, a warm bowl of beef stew is like a hug in a dish. It’s hearty, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. Plus, the beauty of making a beef stew is that it’s impressively simple, can feed a family, and is even better the next day. Here’s a step-by-step guide to crafting a delicious beef stew that will light up your dinner table with minimal fuss.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 2 pounds of beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 cup of red wine (optional but recommended)
- 4 cups of beef broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons of dried thyme or rosemary (or both if you like)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups of potatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup of frozen peas
Let’s Make Stew!
1. Prep Your Beef: Start by patting your beef dry with a paper towel. Dry meat browns better, and browning is key for flavor. Mix the flour with a generous pinch of salt and pepper, then toss your beef pieces in the flour mix until well-coated.
2. Brown The Beef: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add your beef in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. You’re aiming for a nice, dark sear on all sides. This might take a few minutes per batch. Once browned, transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
3. Sauté The Veggies: In the same pot, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, followed by the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Season with a bit more salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent and the other veggies start to tenderize a bit – about 5-7 minutes.
4. Deglaze: If you’re using red wine, now’s the time to pour it in. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This process, called deglazing, adds an incredible depth of flavor to the stew. Let the wine reduce for a couple of minutes.
5. Combine & Simmer: Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes (with their juice), thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it gently bubble away for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
6. Add Potatoes: After the stew has simmered and the beef is starting to get tender, add the chopped potatoes. Cover again and continue simmering for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
7. Final Touches: Remove the bay leaves. If the stew looks too thin, you can mix a tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water and stir it into the stew to thicken it up. Add the frozen peas in the last 5 minutes of cooking – they just need enough time to get warm.
8. Taste & Serve: The final, and most crucial, step is to taste your stew. Add extra salt or pepper if needed. Then, ladle generous portions into bowls and serve. This beef stew pairs beautifully with crusty bread or a simple green salad.
Making beef stew for dinner is about more than just cooking; it’s about creating a sense of warmth and satisfaction. It’s a dish that doesn’t demand perfection in the kitchen, rather an opportunity to put love and care into your food. And the best part? This stew only gets better with time, so leftovers are something to look forward to, not dread. So, next time you need a comforting meal to end your day, remember that a pot of beef stew is waiting to be made, promising warmth, fulfillment, and simplicity rolled into one delicious package.
