This classic sticks to the ribs. Hearty Beef Stew has delicate meat and hearty winter vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, parsnips, and turnips give plenty of flavor to this beef stew, making it more full and cozy.
The horseradish cream is the nicest topping, providing the ideal balance to the stew. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles for the most comforting winter meal.
Table of Contents
Hearty Beef Stew
This easy yet substantial beef stew recipe is ideal for a Sunday afternoon activity. On chilly days, nothing beats the aroma of stew cooking in the oven!
This simple dish is inspired by my Classic Beef Bourguignon, but it emphasizes substantial vegetables. This Hearty Beef Stew is robust and comforting because it contains all of the basic winter root vegetables, including potatoes, carrots, leeks, parsnip, and turnip. The meat is really soft and flavorful.
If you’re a meat-and-potatoes fan like me, you’ll adore this hearty beef stew dish. It’s simple to put together and let the oven handle the majority of the job!
Hearty Beef Stew is one of my favorite dishes to serve at a dinner party since it requires little preparation and is cooked entirely in the oven. It’s ideal for feeding a large audience, and the strong tastes of meat and stout never fail to impress.
How to Make Hearty Beef Stew
As with all of my soups and braises, I HIGHLY recommend investing in a Dutch oven. Mine is a tremendous workhorse in the kitchen, and I use it virtually every day.
TOOLS NEEDED
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Beef. Beef chuck is ideal here, but brisket also works!
- Veggies. The typical ingredients here are onion, leek, and carrot. I also use small potatoes, parsnips, and turnips to make this beef stew more substantial.
- Garlic. Garlic makes everything great!
- Flour. Flour helps to thicken the meat stew. To make this stew gluten-free, leave out the flour.
- Tomato paste. Tomato paste provides a rich, deep taste.
- Red wine. Choose a robust wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, or Merlot.
- Dijon mustard. Dijon provides a great savory taste.
- Beef bouillon. My secret ingredient in most of my braises to really boost the meaty taste.
- Beef broth. Homemade is always better, but real beef stock from the freezer area comes in second.
- Herbs. Fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves work best here. If required, apply dried bay leaves.
THE PROCESS FOR THE BEST HEARTY BEEF STEW
- Sear the meat. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the meat cubes dry and season well with salt and pepper. Once the oil is heated, place the beef cubes in a single layer and sear until browned on both sides. You might need to perform this in batches. Remove the steak from the pan and place on a platter.
- Make a herb bundle. Tie the rosemary and thyme sprigs together with kitchen thread, then leave away.
- Saute vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the onions and leeks and toss to coat with the fat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring periodically, until the vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and simmer for another minute.
- Prepare the braising liquid. Stir in the tomato paste, dijon, and beef bouillon paste until the vegetables are well covered. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the wine, stir thoroughly, and bring to a simmer. Scrape any browned chunks from the bottom of the saucepan. Stir in the beef broth, followed by the bay leaves and herb bundle.
- Braise. Return the meat to the saucepan with any juices that have collected on the platter. Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours.
- Add the vegetables. Remove the steak from the oven and combine with the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips. Cover and return to the oven for another hour or two, until the meat is really soft. Remove from the oven and let the beef stew to rest for 30 minutes, covered.
- Serve. Season the stew to taste, adding salt and pepper as required. Serve warm, topped with horseradish cream sauce.
Recipe Tips and Tricks For Best Hearty Beef Stew
- Select well-marbled beef. Fat equals taste and softness, therefore I always recommend selecting a choice or prime beef chuck roast. This guarantees that you get delicate meat every time. I do not advocate using beef stew meat since it is rougher and leaner.
- Sear the meat well. This is the first stage in developing flavor in a stew, searing. Getting those chunks of beef nicely browned begins to provide a coating of flavor that will soak into the braising liquid as it cooks. Before removing the steak from the saucepan, ensure that it has been well browned.
- Do not be terrified of salt. If your stew has ever turned out dull, it’s not because of the recipe. You probably didn’t salt it sufficiently. Make careful to season the steak thoroughly before searing, then season the stew throughout. When you add the robust winter vegetables, you’ll need even more salt to ensure they’re well seasoned.
- Cook your stew in the oven. I know I mentioned making this hearty beef stew in the slow cooker, but that’s not the ideal way to prepare. Braising beef in the oven is a significantly preferable method. Long cooking durations and a non-airtight seal in your Dutch oven allow the liquid to decrease and the flavors to concentrate. Both a slow cooker and a pressure cooker do not allow for this amount of flavor development.
Best Beef Cuts for Making Hearty Beef Stew
This delicious beef stew recipe requires the ideal cut of meat! You want a cut with enough fat and marbling to be tasty while also keeping it from drying out. Below are my favorites:
- Beef Chuck – A basic yet tasty cut, beef chuck is ideal for braising. A chuck roast is a huge triangular cut from the cow’s chuck that was traditionally used for pot roast. beef’s heavily marbled with fat, which keeps beef from drying out during low-and-slow cooking. It’s affordable and full of beef taste. To ensure greater marbling throughout the meat, choose choice or prime beef chuck.
- Brisket is another of my favorite cuts for braising! It’s also quite inexpensive and full of taste. The brisket is a lengthy cut from the cow’s breast/chest that is divided into two sections: flat and point.
The flat has a coating of fat on top, yet it is simply a flat square piece of beef. It’s ideal for braising. The point is more pointed in form and contains a significantly greater fat content. Both work well, but if you use the point, expect to remove some of the surplus fat.
Pressure Cooker and Slow Cooker Instructions
I enjoy braising in the oven for extended periods of time, however this is not always possible due to scheduling restrictions. Here are several other approaches for preparing this hearty beef stew.
- Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker – Cook the dish exactly as described, using the saute option on your instant pot. Allow the pan to heat up completely before searing the meat on the ‘high’ saute setting. Remove the meat and sauté the vegetables. Add the flour and liquids, then return the meat to the saucepan with the herbs. Set the Instant Pot to ‘pressure cook’ for 50 minutes, then quickly release. Stir in the vegetables, replace the cover, and simmer for a further 10 minutes with natural release.
- Slow Cooker – Sear the meat in another skillet before transferring it to the slow cooker. Seriously, do not omit this step since it adds a lot of flavor! Once the steak is seared, transfer it to the slow cooker and pour the wine over the top. Combine the onions, leeks, garlic, and herbs. In a small bowl, combine the flour and 1 1/2 cups broth and whisk until smooth. Pour into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. About an hour and a half before serving, toss in the remaining vegetables.
Storage Instructions
If you have any leftovers, this hearty Beef Stew may be easily stored and frozen!
- To store: Allow the guinness beef stew to cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for 4-6 days.
- Freezing beef stew: Let the meat and liquid cool to room temperature before storing in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. When closing the bag, try to squeeze the majority of the air out to avoid freezer burn. Label and freeze for up to three months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: The easiest way to reheat beef stew is in a pan or Dutch oven. Add the meat and liquid to a Dutch oven or pan, adding more broth or water as needed. Cover and cook on low heat until the meat is cooked and warmed through.
More Beef Recipes You Might Like
- Chinese Beef Stew – Fork Tender Beef
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Easy Beef Soup With Noodles
- Decadent Beef Shank Osso Buco
Recipe Card
Hearty Beef Stew
This classic sticks to the ribs. Hearty beef Stew has delicate meat and hearty winter vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, parsnips, and turnips give plenty of flavor to this beef stew, making it more full and cozy.
Ingredients
BEEF STEW
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast cut into 2″ cubes
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil like canola
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 leeks white and light green parts only, sliced and rinsed
- 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon Beef paste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups bold red wine
- 2 1/2 cups beef stock
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 1 lb baby gold potatoes halved
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 large parsnip peeled and chopped
- 1 turnip peeled and chopped
- kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
HORSERADISH SAUCE
- 8 oz creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 lemon juiced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Sear the meat. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the meat cubes dry and season well with salt and pepper. Once the oil is heated, place the beef cubes in a single layer and sear until browned on both sides. You might need to perform this in batches. Remove the steak from the pan and place on a platter.
- Make a herb bundle. Tie the rosemary and thyme sprigs together with kitchen thread, then leave away.
- Saute vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the onions and leeks and toss to coat with the fat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring periodically, until the vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and simmer for another minute.
- Prepare the braising liquid. Stir in the tomato paste, dijon, and beef bouillon paste until the vegetables are well covered. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the wine, stir thoroughly, and bring to a simmer. Scrape any browned chunks from the bottom of the saucepan. Stir in the beef broth, followed by the bay leaves and herb bundle.
- Braise. Return the meat to the saucepan with any juices that have collected on the platter. Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours.
- Make horseradish sauce. In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Add the vegetables. Remove the steak from the oven and combine with the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips. Cover and return to the oven for another hour or two, until the meat is really soft. Remove from the oven and let the beef stew to rest for 30 minutes, covered.
- Serve. Season the stew to taste, adding salt and pepper as required. Serve warm, topped with horseradish cream sauce.
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