Serves: 4โ6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 to 2.5 hours
Total Time: ~2.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
โ Ingredients:
๐ฅ Vegetables & Seasonings:
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 4 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
๐ฅฉ Beef & Broth:
- 2 lbs (900g) beef chuck, cut into 1ยฝ-inch cubes
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2โ3 tbsp flour (for coating)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or any cooking oil)
- 4 cups (1 liter) beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional but adds depth)
- Optional: ยฝ cup red wine for extra richness
๐จโ๐ณ Instructions:
๐น 1. Brown the Beef
- Pat beef dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Toss beef cubes in flour to lightly coat.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
- Brown beef in batches (donโt overcrowd the pot), turning to sear on all sides. Set browned beef aside.
๐น 2. Sautรฉ the Aromatics
- In the same pot, add another tbsp oil if needed.
- Sautรฉ diced onion until soft (about 4โ5 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 1โ2 minutes to caramelize slightly.
๐น 3. Deglaze & Build the Stew
- If using wine, pour it in now to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits.
- Return browned beef to the pot.
- Add potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, Worcestershire (if using), and beef broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
๐น 4. Finish & Serve
- After 2 hours, check beef for tenderness โ it should be very soft.
- If the stew is too thin, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for another 15โ20 minutes to reduce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Remove bay leaves before serving.