If only every HEARTY BEEF-VEGETABLE STEW was this good!
Our recipe for HEARTY BEEF-VEGETABLE STEW is sure to become a favourite. In our books, it gets top marks for being so versatile. You can enjoy it as a relaxed midweek dinner, or serve it as I do – the main course when I have a cottage (or house) full of weekend guests. Better still, this homemade stew recipe is best enjoyed with little more than a side of homemade SOURDOUGH or DINNER ROLLS and a nice red, like cab or pinot!
Make the recipe once and you’ll make it again and again, it’s that delicious. Best to PIN the recipe to a favourite board or BOOKMARK this page so the post is always at the ready. Last thing, don’t forget to SHARE it. Send the recipe to your friends or post it on your favourite socials adding #weekendatthecottage so we see what you’re up to!
Before I detail my tips on making this delish dish, I do want to suggest making the recipe the day before you intend to serve. This will accomplish two things, the first being a tastier stew once the flavours have had a chance to mature. You’ll also be able to easily remove the fat off the top of the stew, making it so much more enjoyable. This little added step is detailed in the instructions below.
Here’s what goes into making the best HEARTY BEEF-VEGETABLE STEW ever:
SHOPPING LIST
Here’s an image of everything you’ll need to make the recipe, so jot the missing items down onto your shopping list straight away; you’re gonna want to make this soon. Nothing on the list is difficult to find. The only thing we suggest is that you try to purchase organic produce, if available. This stew will taste way better if you go organic.
CHUCK ROAST
Although you can make this recipe with shoulder roast or top blade, try to go with a chuck roast. If in doubt, ask your butcher; they’ll provide a solid choice based on their best cuts. We like chuck because it has the right mix of connective tissue and fat so the meat gets juicy and tender as it stews.
When you begin cooking the pancetta and chunks of beef, just go slow. Slowly melting the fat away from the pancetta imparts a subtle smokey flavour to the stew, while the searing and browning of the beef guarantees tender juicy meat as a feature of the finished dish. It may take 20 minutes to get the meat just right, but again just go slow. It’s worth it in the end.
MIREPOIX
The flavour base for this stew, referred to as a MIREPOIX in culinary terms, is made up of onion, celery and carrot. The important thing to remember when you add this trio of flavour is to cook these fragrant vegetables until soft and tender without caramelizing them. My direction to reduce the cooking temperature to medium for this step will help with that.
SEASONING
The addition of dried thyme, oregano, chili flakes and fresh sage all contribute to the pleasant aromas of our stew. We also add even more layers of flavour with the addition of garlic and tomato paste. Adding the garlic this late in the cooking process prevents it from getting bitter. Stirring the tomato paste in just before adding the deglazing liquids keeps the stewing liquid a nice red colour instead of brown. It all works.
LIQUIDS
Adding red wine, beef broth and a bit of water to the stew is essential to the recipe. Not only do they help loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, but the three liquids together also carry the flavour of the stew and further tenderize the meats and vegetables so they really soften while cooking. By all means, feel free to play around with these liquids to suit your taste, just make sure to add five cups of liquid in total. Oh, and another thing – yes, I use sodium-reduced, store-bought beef stock whenever I don’t have homemade stock at the ready. You do the same, please!
HELLO VEGGIES
Let’s hear it for the vegetables that are like the last hurrah in this hearty crowd-pleasing dish. Although I added carrots, little red potatoes, rutabaga and cremini mushrooms, you have plenty of options. Parsnip, turnip, pearl onions, squash and fennel will also work. Stir them in gently and immediately return the pot to the oven for the final hour of cooking.
ALL IN
I expect you’ll have your first “my goodness, this is going to be good!” moment as soon as you stir the beef and pancetta back into the pot. Give everything a good stir, snag a little taste for good measure, then put the lid onto the Dutch oven and send it to the oven to slow cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. While it’s cooking away, cut the vegetables for the last stewing step. Then, if you’ve got the gumption, make our EASY FLAKY TEA BISCUITS, or this fabulous CORNBREAD or our famous CHEDDAR BUTTERMILK BISCUITS. You’ll thank me later, LOL!
LESS FAT
Removing excess fat from soups and stocks is always a good idea. Same suggestion for this stew recipe where we cool then refrigerate it overnight once it’s cooked. This “chill time” causes the fat on the top of the stew to harden on the surface. Running a slotted spoon around the very top of the stew allows us to remove and discard the excess fat easily.
FINISH LINE
As you get ready to heat and serve the stew, we have a final little hit of flavour you simply don’t want to miss. Gently stirring in prepared horseradish, balsamic vinegar plus a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley is just the thing. My goodness, does this ever take the flavour of a beef stew recipe to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Serving the stew is super simple, where we ladle generous portions onto soup plates, adding a little sprinkle of parsley to the top for colour. One thing to note: set the table with forks, knives and tablespoons. Some of the veggies and chunks of meat might need a little cut – the goal; every tiny bite should be savoured.
This HEARTY BEEF VEGETABLE STEW will exceed all expectations! Enjoy!
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Hearty Beef-Vegetable Stew
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Ingredients
- For the meat:
- 4 pound boneless chuck roast
- ½ cup pancetta, diced
- sprinkle kosher salt
- sprinkle black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- For the mirepoix:
- 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 small carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
- For the seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1 can tomato paste
- To deglaze:
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 cup water
- For the vegetables:
- 2 cups red potatoes, quartered
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 cup rutabaga, peeled a cubed
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, quartered
- To serve:
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F with the rack in the bottom-third position.
- Prepare beef:Cut roast into 1½-inch cubes, trimming away and discarding fat. Place onto paper towels and pat with additional paper towel to dry. Leave meat to rest for 15 minutes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, turning the cubes so that all sides are seasoned.
- Cook the meat: Heat a large Dutch oven on moderate heat. Add vegetable oil then pancetta. Stir pancetta as it cooks until browned, about 5 minutes. Use slotted spoon to transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
- Increase temperature to moderate-high heat. Add a third of the beef, leaving space between each piece. Turn the meat with tongs as it sears, ensuring all sides are browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer meat to a large bowl. Repeat process with the rest of the beef.
- Add mirepoix: Reduce temperature to medium. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat. Add onion, celery and carrot. Stir frequently, scraping the bottom of the pot until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the seasoning: Add the herbs and chili flakes and stir to combine, cooking for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
- Deglaze the pot: Increase temperature to medium-high. Add the wine, beef stock and water and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add meats: Add pancetta to the pot. Add the seared beef along with the juices. Stir to combine thoroughly. Cover and transfer to oven for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Add vegetables: After 1 hour 30 minutes, carefully remove pot from oven and use oven mitt to remove lid. Add vegetables and stir gently to combine. Carefully replace lid on pot and return stew to oven to cook for an additional hour.
- Cool stew to room temperature with the lid sitting askew. Once cooled, place in refrigerator.
- The following day, use a slotted spoon to lift the solid fats from the top.
- Heat stew over medium heat, stirring gently.
- To serve: Gently stir in horseradish, balsamic and fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately with warmed bread or biscuits.
Related by Recipe Type
- Dinner
- Lunch
Related by Ingredient
- Baby Red Potatoes
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Beef Stock
- Black Pepper
- Carrots
- Celery
- Chili Flakes
- Chuck Roast
- Cremini Mushrooms
- Dried Oregano
- Dried Thyme
- Fresh Sage
- Garlic
- Kosher Salt
- Pancetta
- Parsley
- Prepared Horseradish
- Red Wine
- Rutabaga
- Tomato Paste
- Vegetable Oil
- Water
- White Onion
