The beef that I use for stew is usually a chuck roast, but on occasion I have cut up boneless short ribs, another cut of beef appropriate for stew. I follow the often-repeated advice about stew beef, which is to buy your own piece of meat and cut it up rather than buy chunks of stew beef. The stew beef at the supermarket is usually a mix of different cuts of beef, some of which may be good for stew and some of which may not. You don't want to use lean meat in a stew; you want something that has a good mix of lean and fat.
Beef Stew
Cut beef into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Cut away big pieces of fat where you can, but don't try to remove all the fat. Sprinkle the beef liberally with salt and pepper. Heat Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add oil. Brown meat in multiple batches, making sure not to crowd the pan (really -- don't crowd the pan, or your meat won't brown properly). Remove browned beef to bowl.
Lower heat to medium and add onions, leeks and celery. As the vegetables release liquid, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the meat. Cook for 10 minutes and then add the garlic. Cook for another minute or two and add the flour. Stir well and cook for two minutes. Add wine and scrape the bottom of the pan again with your wooden spoon. Add chicken stock, thyme and bay leaves, and when it comes to a simmer, add the reserved beef and juices back to the pot. Bring to a simmer once again.
At this point, 2 1/2 - 3 hours of cooking time is necessary to produce the desired results. Rushing a dish like this is pointless because the slow cooking is what turns tough chuck into delicious stew. Once I get it to a simmer on the stovetop, I transfer the covered pot into the oven for more consistent heating. I start the oven at 300 degrees F. to get the stew simmering again, but I drop the temp to 275 once it begins to simmer. Lower it again to 250 if it is boiling instead of simmering. A slow simmer is the goal.
Add the carrots and potatoes about an hour before the stew is complete. You can't add them at the beginning because they will be mush by the end. I have tried steaming them separately and addding them at the end of the cooking, but they are much better if cooked in the stew liquid.
To test for doneness, try to cut a larger piece of beef with a wooden spoon against the side of the pot and then taste a piece for final confirmation. Fork-tender is the goal. If your meat is pretty soft, but you need a knife to cut it, you will wish you had cooked it for another half-hour. I'll also taste a carrot and a potato. No crunchy vegetables in beef stew. Taste for salt.
Many variations of this recipe are possible. Leeks are not something that I always put in stew, but I did this time, so I included it in the recipe. Parsnips or other root vegetables can be used instead of or in addition to the potatoes and carrots. A can of chopped tomatoes added with the liquids is another possibility. A cup of frozen peas added in the last few minutes of cooking is also a nice addition. I sometimes make lamb stew, using lamb shoulder, with 2 cans of white beans replacing the potatoes, and rosemary instead of thyme.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
4 lbs beef chuck
2 medium onions, chopped
3 medium leeks, chopped (white and light green parts only)
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
1 cup hearty red wine (Cabernet or Zinfandel work well)
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 lbs yellow or red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
4 large carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
salt and pepper to taste
Cut beef into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Cut away big pieces of fat where you can, but don't try to remove all the fat. Sprinkle the beef liberally with salt and pepper. Heat Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add oil. Brown meat in multiple batches, making sure not to crowd the pan (really -- don't crowd the pan, or your meat won't brown properly). Remove browned beef to bowl.
Lower heat to medium and add onions, leeks and celery. As the vegetables release liquid, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the meat. Cook for 10 minutes and then add the garlic. Cook for another minute or two and add the flour. Stir well and cook for two minutes. Add wine and scrape the bottom of the pan again with your wooden spoon. Add chicken stock, thyme and bay leaves, and when it comes to a simmer, add the reserved beef and juices back to the pot. Bring to a simmer once again.
At this point, 2 1/2 - 3 hours of cooking time is necessary to produce the desired results. Rushing a dish like this is pointless because the slow cooking is what turns tough chuck into delicious stew. Once I get it to a simmer on the stovetop, I transfer the covered pot into the oven for more consistent heating. I start the oven at 300 degrees F. to get the stew simmering again, but I drop the temp to 275 once it begins to simmer. Lower it again to 250 if it is boiling instead of simmering. A slow simmer is the goal.
Add the carrots and potatoes about an hour before the stew is complete. You can't add them at the beginning because they will be mush by the end. I have tried steaming them separately and addding them at the end of the cooking, but they are much better if cooked in the stew liquid.
To test for doneness, try to cut a larger piece of beef with a wooden spoon against the side of the pot and then taste a piece for final confirmation. Fork-tender is the goal. If your meat is pretty soft, but you need a knife to cut it, you will wish you had cooked it for another half-hour. I'll also taste a carrot and a potato. No crunchy vegetables in beef stew. Taste for salt.
Many variations of this recipe are possible. Leeks are not something that I always put in stew, but I did this time, so I included it in the recipe. Parsnips or other root vegetables can be used instead of or in addition to the potatoes and carrots. A can of chopped tomatoes added with the liquids is another possibility. A cup of frozen peas added in the last few minutes of cooking is also a nice addition. I sometimes make lamb stew, using lamb shoulder, with 2 cans of white beans replacing the potatoes, and rosemary instead of thyme.
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