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The Best Beef Stew: A Comprehensive Guide to Perfect Comfort Food

A comprehensive guide to the best beef stew, delivering tender beef, perfectly cooked vegetables, and a rich savory broth. This recipe blends traditional technique with modern cooking science for reliable, restaurant-quality comfort food.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 –8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Comfort Food
Calories: 235
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs beef chuck cut into 1–2 inch cubes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup red wine or extra broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 large carrots peeled and chunked
  • 4 medium potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 stalks celery sliced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour optional, for thickening
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven. Brown beef in batches until crusted. Set aside.
  2. Sauté onion and celery in beef drippings until softened. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes.
  3. Deglaze with wine, scraping up browned bits. Return beef to pot with broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. Simmer gently.
  4. Cover and cook 1.5–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender.
  5. Add carrots and potatoes about 30 minutes before stew is finished. Continue simmering until vegetables are fork-tender.
  6. Stir in frozen peas during the last 5 minutes. If desired, thicken with flour slurry.
  7. Remove bay leaves, adjust seasoning, and garnish with parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Notes

Choose chuck roast for best tenderness. Always sear in batches—don’t overcrowd. Add vegetables later to prevent mushiness. Keep heat low for gentle simmering. Stew tastes even better the next day.