Equipment
Ingredients
Meat
- 1000 g beef chuck roast, cut into 4cm cubes
Aromatics and Vegetables
- 2 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 4 carrots, cut into 2cm thick rounds
- 600 g yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3cm chunks
Base and Liquids
- 30 ml olive oil
- 30 g tomato paste
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 250 ml dry red wine
- 750 ml low-sodium beef broth
Seasonings
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 4 fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 2 bay leaf, dried
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 485 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1325 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 112 mg
- Potassium
- 1679 mg
- Calcium
- 98 mg
- Iron
- 5.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 105 mg
- Phosphorus
- 506 mg
- Zinc
- 14.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 566 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 32 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 16 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 4.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 9.5 mg
- Folate
- 32 mcg
- Water
- 388 g
- Alcohol
- 4 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using paper towels, thoroughly pat the beef chunks dry. Season evenly with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides.
Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef using tongs to turn the pieces until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the seared beef to a plate and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion to the remaining beef fat in the pot and cook until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another minute until the paste darkens slightly.
Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture. Use a wooden spoon to stir constantly, cooking the raw flour taste out and allowing it to coat the vegetables.
Pour the red wine into the pot to deglaze. Firmly scrape the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon to release all the browned bits into the liquid. Let the wine reduce by half.
Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in the beef broth, then submerge the fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil at approximately 100°C/212°F, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover tightly and simmer.
Carefully remove the lid and add the prepared carrots and potatoes, pushing them down to submerge in the liquid. Cover again and continue to simmer until the meat falls apart easily when pressed with a fork and the vegetables are tender.
Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaves and any tough thyme stems. Skim any excessive fat from the surface if desired. Let the stew rest uncovered for a few minutes before tasting to adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Chef's Notes
- Purchasing a whole chuck roast and cubing it yourself is vastly superior to buying pre-cut 'stew meat'. Pre-cut packages often contain a mix of different muscle groups with varying cooking times, leading to inconsistent tenderness.
- The browning step, known as the Maillard reaction, is foundational to the savory depth of this dish. Do not rush it. Give the meat space in the pan; if you crowd the pot, the beef will steam in its own juices instead of browning.
- When selecting a red wine to cook with, the rule of thumb is to use a wine you would be happy to drink. Avoid anything labeled 'cooking wine', which is laden with sodium and preservatives.
- Potatoes can absorb a significant amount of salt as they cook. Always do a final seasoning check at the end after the potatoes are completely tender.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Flavors will deepen and improve after a day in the refrigerator.
Freezer: 3 months — Potatoes may become slightly grainy upon freezing and thawing, but the flavor remains excellent.
Reheating: Gently reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce is too thick.
Troubleshooting
Beef is tough and chewy
Cause: The meat has not cooked long enough to break down its connective tissues
Fix: Continue to simmer on low heat in 30-minute increments until the meat yields to a fork
Prevention: Ensure you are using chuck roast, which requires long slow cooking, rather than lean cuts like sirloin
Stew liquid is too thin
Cause: Not enough flour was added, or too much moisture released from the meat/vegetables
Fix: Remove the lid during the last 20 minutes of cooking to encourage evaporation, or mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir it into the boiling stew
Prevention: Measure flour carefully, or allow the wine to reduce more fully before adding broth
Burnt taste to the stew
Cause: The fond at the bottom of the pot burned during searing, or the heat was too high during the simmer
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed. Do not scrape the bottom of the pot. Transfer the unburnt top portion to a new clean pot to finish cooking
Prevention: Monitor heat closely when searing meat. Turn down the burner if the bottom begins blackening. Always simmer on the lowest possible heat
Cultural Context
Beef stew represents a global tradition of rustic peasant cooking, where tough, inexpensive cuts of meat were transformed over low, slow heat into something extraordinary. This specific preparation heavily mirrors the techniques formalized in French cooking, utilizing wine to tenderize the meat and a flour roux to thicken the sauce. Over the generations, this process of layering aromatics, browning proteins, and braising in a rich liquid has become a universal comfort food, especially celebrated during the harsh winter months.
