Packed with hearty vegetables and tender chunks of meat, this traditional Beef Stew Recipe is one you will make again and again.
A rich gravy defines this homemade beef stew, all with no alcohol so everyone can enjoy it. Whether you're craving a cozy meal to cut the chill on a cold winter's night, or you simply want a heaping bowl of tender meat and vegetables, this is the only recipe you need. This one-pot meal is one the whole family will love!
Make this beef stew for a gathering with family and friends, as a special Sunday dinner, or as a treat on Christmas Eve where everyone will be begging you for the recipe.
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Growing up, when my mom didn't have enough time to put together a steaming pot of homemade beef stew, she warmed a can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew on the stove. We gladly devoured it in all its rich brown gravy glory.
I always wanted to create my own version of Dinty Moore's iconic stew, which is how this recipe came to be.
The Secret to Making the Best Beef Stew
Like all other recipes I develop here on Mornington Lane, I prefer scratch-made, home-cooked meals whenever possible. It means I get to control the ingredients and not worry about fillers and other unsavory things in our food. Real, whole food is the goal.
After countless iterations to perfect this homemade beef stew recipe, I learned a few things I am eager to share with you!
3 Secrets to the Best Beef Stew at Home:
- Low and slow is the way to go - Making tender, melt-in-your-mouth chunks of stew meat can be done with practically any cut of meat if you give it low, slow heat over the course of a few hours. Low and slow as a cooking practice has been around for millennia and it is why even the toughest cuts of meat can be juicy and tender with just a little time.
- Wine is overrated - You do not need wine to make a complex tasting gravy. A little brown sugar and beef broth are unbelievably delicious when combined. The combination creates one of the best wine substitutes.
- Thicken at the end - Flour or cornstarch aids in thickening beef stew, but so does removing the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking. Allowing some moisture to cook off and evaporate yields the quintessential thick consistency of traditional beef stew.
Ingredients
Unlike many beef stew recipes you will find, this traditional beef stew recipe contains no alcohol. Instead, a mixture of beef broth and brown sugar come together to create an irresistible umami flavor you won't believe!
Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Chuck roast or rump roast, 2 pounds cut into 1 inch cubes, salt and pepper generously - The star ingredient in beef stew, a nice chuck or rump roast with a bit of fat makes for the most flavorful stew. Some people trim the fat, but I think it adds a tremendous amount of flavor as it melts over the three plus hours cook-time.
- Olive oil, 1 to 2 tablespoons - You only need a little olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pot for browning the meat. My favorite olive oil is La Tourangelle Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, single-sourced from Andalucía, Spain. We use it for everything from cooking to drizzling. I use it to make my savory 3- minute Olive Oil Dipping Sauce.
- Yellow onion, ½ chopped large - One of the staple ingredients in a great beef stew, the buttery flavor of yellow onion brings out the natural flavors in the roast. Make very large pieces of onion to hold up to the long cook-time. I chop the onion into 1 inch pieces, similar to the vegetables that follow in this list.
- Garlic, 4 cloves roughly chopped fine - A stew would not be as delicious without a little garlic. I roughly chop the garlic fine, but you can use minced garlic if you prefer.
- Carrots, 6 medium to large, sliced into 1 inch pieces on the bias - Stew is known for large chunks of vegetables to better maintain consistency and not turn to mush with the low and slow cooking method. Keep your carrots on the larger side at about 1 inch pieces sliced on the bias. While I love the look and bite of carrots cut on the bias, cut them straight if you want.
- Celery, 5 to 6 stalks, sliced into 1 inch pieces on the bias - Similar to the carrots, slice celery on the bias in about 1 inch pieces. Larger pieces will hold up better to the low and slow cooking of the stew.
- Potatoes, 4 large or 6 medium, halved - Buy medium to large potatoes, cut them in half, and add them as the recipe states. Some recipes call for adding the potatoes after an hour of cooking, but not this recipe. The larger size will hold up just fine in this stew.
- Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base, 2 tablespoons dissolved in 5 cups hot water - Use Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base for the broth as it has a depth of flavor unmatched in other forms of beef broth.
- Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon - Imparting a savory umami flavor, Worcestershire sauce is a crucial ingredient. Keep in mind, not all worcestershire sauce is created equal, since some brands contain anchovies. Read the ingredient label if that is not something you want included. I highly recommend 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Worcestershire Sauce. It tastes distinctly different from Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, which is arguably the gold standard and most well-known. Lea & Perrins also contains anchovies, while Whole Foods Worcestershire Sauce does not. Having tried both brands when I was iterating on this recipe, that one ingredient in and of itself changes the flavor profile of this stew considerably in a way that I did not like at all.
- Tomato paste, 2 tablespoons, heaping - Given this recipe calls for "heaping" tablespoons, you could technically use 3 tablespoons and the stew would turn out just as delicious.
- All-purpose flour, ½ cup - Used as a thickening agent, all-purpose flour is required to help achieve the signature consistency of a stew. It's not a soup, after all. I use this all-purpose flour grown in Italy that has never been hybridized so it's easier to digest.
- Bay leaf, 2 leaves - Bay leaf is a truly underrated ingredient that imparts savory aromatics into this stew. If you purchase Turkish bay leaves you may only need one, as they are more potent. I recommend Simply Organic bay leaves since they are organic and, according to the brand, the only botanical (Laurus nobilis) approved for consumption by the FDA.
- Thyme, ¾ teaspoon, dried - The chameleon of the spice world, thyme can taste floral, sweet, or peppery on its own or all at once. This beef stew would not be complete without it.
- Light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons - Brown sugar mixed into the bouillon adds to the umami flavor that elevates this stew. A little goes a long way which is why 2 teaspoons is the perfect amount.
- Salt and pepper - Generously salt and pepper the meat. Once served, individuals can add salt and pepper to taste.
Variations and Substitutions:
- Use ¼ cup cornstarch if you don't have flour on hand
- Substitute dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar
- 1 whole sweet onion could replace ½ yellow onion in a pinch
Kitchen Supplies and Equipment
For this traditional beef stew recipe, the type of cookware absolutely makes a difference in how it will turn out. That is why I highly recommend using an enameled cast iron dutch oven pot. It will be very difficult to emulate the depth of flavor with stainless steel, non-stick, or other type of cookware.
Years ago, I bought a 7 ¼ quart Le Creuset cast iron Dutch oven in a lovely matte white color way with a sand colored enameled interior. At the time, I was thinking it was crazy to pay so much for one pot. All these years later I can honestly say it truly is one of the best kitchen purchases I have ever made.
While it is more expensive than other brands on the market, I have repeatedly said that long lasting, high quality kitchen cookware is worth it. It will typically cost more up-front; however, since you should only have to buy that item once in your lifetime, it will pay for itself many times over.
For a 100-year old company, Le Creuset cookware is still made in France to the same exacting standards. (Note their bakeware is no longer made in France.)
Le Creuset is so well made that families hand their cookware down through generations. Same with stand mixers. It's one of the reasons I purchased and wrote an entire blog about my gorgeous 100th Anniversary Misty Blue KitchenAid Stand Mixer Story.
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil on medium. Once heated, add the stew meat, arranging the pieces in a mostly single layer. Generously salt and pepper the meat. Turn the meat every couple minutes until all sides are browned.
- Turn the heat to low. If needed, add more oil. Stir in the onion and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the carrots and celery, stirring until evenly distributed and coated with the flavorings in the pot.
- Add the flour by evenly sprinkling over the contents of the pot. Stir to evenly coat and dissolve the flour in the mixture.
- Dissolve the brown sugar and tomato paste in the broth. Once fully dissolved, deglaze the pot by adding the broth mixture. Stir well to combine. Add the Worcestershire and thyme. Stir to combine.
- Add the potatoes. Stir to combine. Add the bay leaves. Stir. Note: If the liquid does not fully cover the contents, add more until it just covers the contents.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to a hard simmer. Cover and cook for 3 hours, checking every so often to stir. Remove the cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Serve in bowls as is or over mashed potatoes. Give the stew about 5 minutes to cool before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
Homemade beef stew is a year-round delight, though it makes a particularly cozy meal on a cold winter's night and an extra special treat on Christmas Eve.
Serve this beef stew with a hand-torn crusty baguette, a salad with Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing, a side of Homemade Garlic Bread, or over mashed potatoes.
How to Store Leftover Beef Stew
Allowing the beef stew flavors to meld together overnight in the refrigerator can yield an even more delicious meal the next day. Beef stew should last for a few days when refrigerated and 2 to 3 months when frozen in a sealed glass container. Always inspect leftovers for signs of spoilage before consuming.
Traditional Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Chuck or rump roast, cut into 1-inch cubes, generously salt and pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- ⅓ Yellow onion, chopped 1 inch pieces
- 4 Garlic cloves, roughly chopped fine
- 6 Carrots, sliced into 1 inch pieces on the bias
- 6 Celery stalks, sliced into 1 inch pieces on the bias
- 4 Yukon Gold Potatoes, medium to large, halved
- 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base, dissolved in 5 cups hot water
- 2 tablespoons Tomato paste, heaping
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, 365 Organic by Whole Foods Worcestershire is highly recommended
- ½ cup All purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon Thyme, dried
- 2 teaspoons Light brown sugar
- 2 Bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil on medium. Once heated, add the stew meat, arranging the pieces in a mostly single layer. Generously salt and pepper the meat. Turn the meat every couple minutes until all sides are browned.
- Turn the heat to low. If needed, add more oil. Stir in the onion and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent.
- Add the carrots and celery, stirring until evenly distributed and coated with the flavorings in the pot.
- Add the flour by evenly sprinkling over the contents of the pot. Stir to evenly coat and dissolve the flour in the mixture. I use this all-purpose flour grown in Italy that has never been hybridized which makes it easier to digest
- Dissolve the brown sugar and tomato paste in the Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base. Once fully dissolved, deglaze the pot by adding the broth mixture. Stir well to combine.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Stir to combine.
- Add the potatoes. Stir to combine. Note: If the liquid does not fully cover the contents, add more until it just covers the contents.
- Add the bay leaves. Stir.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to a hard simmer. Cover and cook for 3 hours, checking every so often to stir.
- Remove the cover and cook for 30 minutes.
- Serve in bowls as is or over mashed potatoes. Once served, give the stew about 5 minutes to cool before enjoying.
Notes
- Use ¼ cup cornstarch if you don't have flour on hand
- Substitute dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar
- 1 whole sweet onion could replace ½ yellow onion in a pinch
Did you make this recipe?
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