beef stew

the weather’s cooling down so i’m craving a hearty meal to get me through these dark winter nights. gather your large soup pots, put on a sweater, and brew a cup of hot tea. let’s spend the afternoon huddled by the stove, watching over this seasonal staple. this beef stew truly warms you from the inside out. it’s perfect to make on sunday so you have a few lunches ready for the busy week ahead. just make sure you start cooking in the afternoon to have your bowl ready for dinner.

this stew uses common household ingredients and a cut of affordable chuck roast beef. here’s an overview of everything you’ll need to whip up this comforting beef stew:

• 3 to 4 pound chuck roast with the fat trimmed, cut into large cubes
• veggies – carrots, celery, and potatoes are a must! you can also add frozen peas
• aromatics – onion and garlic aka the reason everyone says it smells so good in here when they walk by the kitchen
• spices – black pepper, paprika, italian seasoning. don’t be afraid to get creative and throw in something else from the pantry
• red wine – adds a wonderful depth and complexity to the broth. skip if you don’t consume alcohol
• worcestershire sauce – don’t worry, i can’t pronounce it either. this sauce helps build savoury depth in our stew
• tomato paste – adds a bit of sweetness and acidity
• fresh rosemary and bay leaves pair wonderfully with the beef

we are going to start off by searing our beef. this is the cornerstone of building a richly flavoured stew. sear the cubed beef on each side until there is minimal red/pink hue on the surfaces. it is essential to do the searing process in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. don’t rush this step. once everything is seared and ready to go, set aside in a bowl.

for our next step, we add the onions directly to the same pot we just seared our beef in. the rendered fat and remaining bits of meat = FLAVOUR. do not let the precious flavours go to waste! when the onions are slightly softened, add the garlic and cook until lightly golden. next, we add our celery, carrots, and salt. the salt will help draw some of the water out of the carrots and celery, concentrating the flavours. our potatoes are staying out of the pot until the very end. if you add them too early, they will turn to mush by the time the soup is finished cooking.

once the veggies have cooked for a few minutes, clear a small area of the pot and add your tomato paste and spices. you want the tomato paste to turn a lovely dark red colour from all of the browning sugars. add the red wine and worcestershire sauce, cook until the mixture thickens. at this point, you can add your broth of choice and your fresh herbs. the broth doesn’t make a huge difference, so use whatever you have on hand. i have made this recipe with beef broth, plain water, and water + bullion and i can say there is very little difference in terms of flavour of the final product. bring everything to a simmer before adding your beef back to the pot.

after 1.5 hours of cooking, we can finally add our potatoes that have been patiently waiting on the side. simmer the stew again until the potatoes are fully cooked through to your liking. this should take 1 to 1.5 hours. serve it up with parsley to garnish and indulge in the comfort of a hot, homemade meal.