Traditional Beef Stew Recipe
Packed with hearty vegetables and tender chunks of meat, this traditional Beef Stew Recipe (no alcohol) is one you will make again and again.
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
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