Perfect Beef Stew
- PREP 20min
- COOK 3hrs 15min
- TOTAL 3hrs 35min
Our homemade beef stew with potatoes and root vegetables is so good that you’ll make it again and again! The beef is incredibly tender, the vegetables are perfectly cooked, and the sauce is rich and flavorful.
You Will Need
3 pounds (1360g) beef short ribs
1 ½ pounds (680g) well-marbled beef chuck
2 tablespoons (30ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil
4 medium carrots, chopped
1 large parsnip, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces (110g) shiitake mushrooms, sliced, stems removed and discarded
3 tablespoons (42g) butter
3 tablespoons (42g) tomato paste
1 (750ml) bottle dry red wine, see notes
5 tablespoons (45g) all-purpose flour
6 cups (1420ml) beef stock or rich vegetable stock
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, left whole
2 bay leaves
1 bunch fresh thyme
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Prepare Stew
Preheat your oven to 350°F (177 °C). Place the oven rack in the middle of your oven to fit your Dutch oven.
Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over the beef.
Add oil to a large Dutch oven and place it over medium heat. Sear the short ribs and beef chuck on all sides until nicely browned. If needed, do this in two batches, so you don’t crowd the pot. Transfer the browned meat to a large bowl.
Remove some rendered fat from the pot, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons. (Watch our video to see me do this!)
Add the onions, carrots, parsnips, two-thirds of the garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Transfer them to a bowl and set aside. They will continue to cook in the stew.
Melt the butter in the Dutch oven. Then, add shiitake mushrooms and the rest of the garlic. Cook for about one minute.
Stir in the tomato paste and flour, breaking up any clumps that form. Then, slowly pour one-third of the red wine, scraping up the tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan. A few small lumps are okay.
Pour in the remaining wine and bring it to a simmer. Cook until the sauce is reduced by half.
Slowly Bake Stew
Add beef stock, browned beef, and bay leaves to the pot. Bring everything to a simmer.
Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the preheated oven. Cook for 2 hours, stirring after the first hour.
About 10 minutes before the 2 hours are up, peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks.
After 2 hours, add the potatoes and reserved vegetables to the stew. Top with thyme, cover, and return to the oven. Cook for another 30 minutes or until the beef is incredibly tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
Throw away the thyme stems. Skim off excess fat from the stew’s surface (recommended). Leave a small amount for flavor.
Serve the beef in large chunks or pull it into bite-sized pieces, removing any extra fat or gristle as you go.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Short ribs: Look for meaty, English-cut short ribs with bones, not thin, or Korean-style short ribs. The meat becomes incredibly soft and tender, and the bones fall into the stew, making them easy to remove after cooking.
- Wine for stew: Look for dry French wine like Bordeaux and Côtes du Rhône, or use Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon. We recommend using the wine, but you can substitute it with more beef stock for a slightly less rich but still delicious option.
- Slow cooker directions: This beef stew recipe works great in a slow cooker! Here’s how to adapt it. Follow our recipe below until the wine is reduced by half. Transfer everything but the veggies and potatoes to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours until the beef is incredibly tender. Add the potatoes and veggies during the last hour of cooking to prevent them from getting too mushy.
- Thicken the Stew: I usually don’t need any thickener, but you can thicken the stew if needed. When finished cooking, combine 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. Then, slowly whisk this mixture into your simmering stew. As it simmers, it will thicken.
- Storing: Leftovers can be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.