Description
This Old Fashioned Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food, packed with melt-in-your-mouth beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich, flavorful broth infused with herbs and spices.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat (cubed chuck roast)
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 10 ounces pearl onions
- 4 medium carrots, sliced
- 4 medium celery ribs, sliced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 cup cold water
Instructions
1. Dust beef stew meat with 2 tablespoons cornstarch and season with salt and black pepper.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned beef and sear for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until all sides are browned.
3. Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Pour in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Add potatoes, pearl onions, carrots, and celery. Sprinkle in sugar, basil, oregano, parsley, paprika, and allspice. Stir to combine.
6. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 90 to 120 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender.
7. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch with cold water. Stir until dissolved.
8. Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the stew while stirring. Cook on low heat for a few more minutes until the stew thickens.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
For a deeper flavor, prepare the stew a day in advance and reheat before serving. You can substitute pearl onions with chopped yellow onion if desired. This dish pairs beautifully with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 870mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: beef stew, comfort food, hearty dinner, old fashioned beef stew