Hearty Beef Stew

Hearty Beef Stew

The Gourmet Goddess is thinking that with all the New England snow days, something hale and hearty needs to be on the menu. During months like this, you need a rich savory meal to keep you warm and fuel you as you brave the elements.  

This gourmet beef stew recipe is full of beef, potatoes and carrots that are slowly roasted in a generous amount of rich brown gravy.  Fit for family and friends, it nurtures and nourishes and makes everyone who eats it feel loved.  This hearty beef stew can be made a day in advance and it only gets better as the flavors meld together. Don't forget a nice crusty artisan bread or rolls to go along with it.

Take off your snow books and get your Goddess on .... Happy Cooking!

Hearty Beef Stew Ingredients

5 pounds well-trimmed stew meat, cut in bite sizes pieces

Salt and Pepper for seasoning

6 ounces of Butter, plus 2 tablespoons for sauteing vegetables

2 large Onions, cut into small wedges

8 Cloves of Garlic, cut in half

3 stalks of Celery, ends trimmed and quartered

6 Baby Carrots for flavoring (more to be added at the end)

1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 can Tomato Paste

1/2 bottle of Burgundy

4 cups Unsalted Free Beef Stock

1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon

2 Bay Leaves

1- 1/2 pounds Baby Carrots

3 pounds of Boiling Potatoes cleaned and cut in wedges at the end

4 tablespoons Cornstarch in a half cup of Cold Water

2 packs McCormick Beef Gravy Mix and 2 cups Cold Water (this extends gravy and is worth the effort)

Artisan Bread or rolls and Butter for Serving

Serves 10

Hearty Beef Stew Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Trim stew beef cubes of large pieces of fat.  Season with Salt and Pepper on both sides.

Heat Dutch oven on stove top burner on medium low heat.

Melt butter in Dutch oven (use 4 tablespoons for each batch of meat sauteed).

Add onion wedges, garlic, celery and 6 baby carrots and saute on medium low heat for about 8 -12 minutes till slightly browned. Remove and set aside.

Working in batches, melt 4 tablespoons of butter for each batch and seer meat on both sides.

Remove beef cubes to a pot to retain juices.

Deglaze Dutch oven with a half a bottle of Burgundy.

Add 4 cups of unsalted beef stock to Burgandy, 1 tablespoon of better than bouillon, vinegar, bay leaves and tomato paste.  Simmer and stir occasionally about 4 minutes until all are combined.

Add back sauteed beef and juices, onions, garlic, celery and garlic. 

Place Dutch oven covered  in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

While the stew is still in the ovens, after an hour and 30 minutes, prepare and boil additional carrots and potatoes until slightly tender in separate pots.

Mix cornstarch with cold water.  Set aside. Make 2 packets of beef gravy according to packet directions. Set aside.

Take beef stew from oven and strain beef from liquids. Set aside beef.

Place  Dutch Oven with liquids on burner on low heat add cornstarch and water mixture, stirring until gravy begins to thicken. Add additional packet gravy and combine.

Return meat to Dutch oven.  Place carrots and potatoes on top and fold in slightly.

Roast in 350 degree oven for an additional 30 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes and serve with crusty bread, rolls and butter.

To serve the next day ...

Cool, cover and place beef stew in refrigerator overnight.

Remove from fridge, uncover and skim off fat.

Let stew rest at room temperature for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook  uncovered for about 45-60 minutes until bubbling and hot.

Cool for 15 minutes and serve with crusty bread, rolls and butter.