Hearty Beef Stew

If you’re looking for a straightforward, classic recipe for beef stew, you’ve come to the right place. There is nothing fancy or revelatory about this hearty and classic preparation, yet its taste is complex and delicious, worthy of a place on any dinner table. After all, who in their right mind doesn’t like a steaming hot bowl of beef stew on a chilly evening?

The secret ingredient here is a bouquet garni, or bundle of herbs — I gather mine up in cheesecloth so it’s easy to remove without any woody herbs ending up in the stew. A nice glug of red wine, aromatic vegetables, and a few dried spices don’t hurt things either. By the time all these flavors come together, they produce a rich and savory gravy.

One nice thing about beef stew is that you can use just about any cut of beef imaginable — simmered for hours, the toughest cut will become meltingly tender. This is especially nice when you’re trying to be conscientious and eco-friendly on a budget, since “braising cuts,” i.e. tougher cuts of meat, are generally less expensive than steaks. When you’re buying your beef from a local farmers’ market or upscale, health food-y grocery store, it pays to pick long-cooking recipes to get the best results for the least cash. I used a chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into pieces. Feel free to substitute whatever cut you prefer.

Hearty Beef Stew

3 4″ sprigs rosemary
1 sprig (about 10 leaves) sage
2 bay leaves

1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 lbs. chuck roast, cut into 2″ pieces
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1/2″ dice
1 C. dry red wine
2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2″ dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2″ dice
3/4 lb. (12 oz.) white button mushrooms, halved
1 tsp. kosher salt (may add more to taste)

1 lb. red potatoes, cut into 1/2″ dice

1. Cut out a 2-ply square of cheesecloth, about 8″ by 8″. Place rosemary, sage, and bay leaves in the middle of the cheesecloth, bundle them up in a purse, and tie securely at the top with kitchen twine.

2. In a gallon-sized plastic bag, combine the flour, spices, and salt. Shake to mix evenly.

3. Add the stew meat to the bag, and seal carefully. Shake vigorously to coat all of the beef evenly with flour. Place the beef in a colander and shake off excess flour.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium-sized (5 1/2-quart) dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place half of the beef in a single layer in the pan and sear for 3 minutes, turn over and sear another 3 minutes, then set aside on a large plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, brown the second batch of meat, and transfer to plate with the rest of the browned meat.

5. Put the diced onions in the dutch oven and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the wine to the onions, then use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

6. Add the celery, carrots, mushrooms, salt, and the bundle of herbs to the pot. Add enough water to almost cover all the ingredients, but not quite.

7. Bring up to a simmer, partially cover and simmer for about 2 hours, until beef is tender.

8. Add potatoes, then simmer for another 15 minutes or so, until they are fork tender.