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Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Old fashioned beef stew simmers in a rich, savory broth until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are tender. Browning the beef first builds a deep flavor in this hearty one-pot dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5 lb beef chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 yellow onion medium, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4 carrots medium, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Equipment

  • 1 6-quart Dutch oven

Method
 

  1. Pat the beef dry with paper towels.
  2. Season the beef with the black pepper.
  3. Heat the vegetable oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  4. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch.
  5. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
  6. Add the onion to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  7. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  8. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute more.
  9. Gradually stir in the beef broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  10. Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and browned beef with any accumulated juices.
  11. Bring the stew to a gentle simmer.
  12. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the beef is starting to become tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  13. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, and celery.
  14. Cover and simmer until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.
  15. Remove the bay leaf.
  16. Let the stew rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the deepest flavor, brown the beef in batches without crowding the Dutch oven. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days or freeze them; use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for a gluten-free variation.