Saturday, February 14, 2015

Darn Good Easy Beef Stew

I received a nice bottle of red wine from a customer at work for Christmas and decided to save it for a cold, blustery, snowy Saturday in February... Mother Nature was glad to oblige, and on Valentine's Day no less:@) While I'm truly enjoying a glass ~or two~ I was most excited to try cooking with it, believe it or not, I've never done that before. This Darn Good Easy Beef Stew recipe (I added the 'darn good', they just call it Easy Beef Stew) is from chow.com and they consider it cooking 101.
I made a half batch and my only changes were: I used bacon fat instead of oil-oh yes, I did:@) Didn't have fresh thyme so I added a pinch of dry and since I've been craving pasta, served it over noodles instead of adding potatoes. Note: I do highly recommend cutting the meat into smaller pieces against the grain to ensure it gets even more tender and would probably cook the meat longer next time too.

Darn Good Easy Beef Stew-from Chow.com (click for detailed directions and video)
1/4 C plus 1 Tblsp A/P flour
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1-3lb boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-1 1/2" cubes-I suggest about 1/2" thick against the grain
3 Tblsp vegetable oil-I used bacon fat
1 medium yellow onion, large dice
2 Tblsp tomato paste
1 C dry red wine
4 C low sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
4 fresh thyme sprigs-I used a pinch of dry
3 medium carrots-I added extra
3 medium celery stalks
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes-I served mine over noodles instead
1 C frozen peas
  1. Mix 1/4 C flour and S&P, shake meat in mixture (I use a Lock and Lock Bowl).
  2. Heat oil in dutch oven over medium high heat until shimmering. Add meat (don't crowd the pan and cook in batches) and brown on all sides. Remove meat to a plate.
  3. Add onion and season with S&P, cook and stir about 5 minutes.
  4. Add tomato paste and cook for a minute or two.
  5. Add extra 1 Tblsp flour and cook for a minute or two.
  6. Add wine, scrape up brown bits and cook until thick, maybe three minutes.
  7. Return meat and juices to the pot. Add broth, bay leaves and thyme to the pot. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for one hour.
  8. Cut carrots, celery and potatoes into a large dice (I made mine about 1" thick and would make them smaller next time) and add to pot, bring to a simmer. Cover with lid and cook for one hour or until veggies are tender. 
  9. Discard bay leaves and thyme stems, add peas and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Reseason with S&P if desired.
Eat well and have a happy day! Oh, and cheers:@)

12 comments:

  1. Thank goodness I have just eaten because this stew looks yummy. Happy St Valentine's Day and have a lovely weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. well, i hope you drank some with that yummy looking meal, too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. YUM! Your blog always makes me want to eat my computer. One of these days I'm going to do it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I just came home-it's bitter cold--and I wish I had a bowl of your stew right now. Happy Valentine's Day!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looks yummy. Love a good stew on a cold winter's night. Happy Valentine's Day!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great-looking recipe, Lynn! This is perfect weather for beef stew -- good, old comfort food. :) I haven't made beef stew in a while, but when I do, I always add a little red wine to mine; it really is a delicious addition, isn't it? Oh, I think the bacon fat is a good idea, too. :-D Thanks for sharing the recipe and have a great weekend!

    Hugs,

    Denise at Forest Manor

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mmmm your beef stew looks like a plate of comfort food, Lynn. My mom and grandma always served beef stew over noodles and that's how I love it. Hope you and your side kick, Earl, had a cozy Valentine Day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. looks yummy! I used to make stew quite often, but havent in a long time. beef stew with dumplings! hmmmm... maybe that will have to be planned for an upcoming meal!
    have a great week
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love the idea of stew over pasta Lynn, especially with a nice glass or red wine~perfect for a cozy winter evening!
    Jenna

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love your leprechaun and this stew looks just perfect for this time of year. I have always loved stew - so rich and warm ad hearty!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your stew DOES look darn good Lynn! Love your Mardi Gras dancing pigs in your header :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by-enjoy your day!