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Beef Stew

Beef stew with deeply browned, fall-apart beef cubes and a mahogany broth made by simmering wine, broth, and tomatoes until rich. Chunky potatoes and carrots turn tender while peas are added at the end for bright color and texture.
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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: 430
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 stalks, sliced
Onion
  • 1 onion diced
Garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves, 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
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
All-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour use to season the beef
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and sear the beef
  1. Toss the beef chuck with all-purpose flour until coated. Spread in an even layer so it can brown, not steam.
  2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Sear the beef in batches for 3-5 minutes, until deeply browned, then remove to a plate (repeat if needed).
Build the stew base
  1. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the Dutch oven and sauté for 5 minutes. Cook until the vegetables start to soften and the onion turns translucent.
  2. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 2 minutes. Keep it moving until fragrant and slightly darkened.
  3. Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes so the alcohol reduces slightly.
  4. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire, dried thyme, bay leaves, and the browned beef. Bring the mixture together so everything is evenly distributed.
Simmer and finish
  1. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 60-75 minutes, until the beef is very tender with a glossy broth.
  2. Stir in the cubed Yukon gold potatoes and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce to a gentle simmer so the potatoes cook through without breaking down.
  3. Add the frozen peas and cook for 3 minutes. Cook just until bright green and tender-crisp.
  4. Remove the bay leaves, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust, ensuring the broth is deeply seasoned.

Notes

For the best texture, don’t overcrowd the Dutch oven while searing—brown in batches so you get deep color for a richer broth. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove until hot. Freezing is yes—cool completely, freeze up to 3 months, and reheat from frozen or thaw overnight. For a lower-sodium option, use no-salt-added beef broth and adjust Worcestershire and seasonings to taste.