Classic Dutch Oven Beef Stew with Potatoes & Carrots (Make-Ahead)
A rich, old-fashioned beef stew with fork-tender chuck, Yukon Gold potatoes and sweet carrots in a glossy red wine gravy. Brown once, then let the oven do the work. It tastes even better the next day, which makes it a perfect make-ahead dinner for a rainy Halloween weekend and the first dark evenings after the clocks fall back.
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Ingredients
Serves 6
- 2 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck roasttrimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tsp kosher saltdivided, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp olive or vegetable oildivided
- 1 large yellow oniondiced
- 4 cloves garlicminced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red winesuch as Cabernet or Merlot; or use more broth
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thymeor 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoescut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 medium carrotspeeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 stalks celerycut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peasoptional
- 1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegarto finish
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsleychopped
The method
Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower third. Pat the beef very dry with paper towels, then toss it with 1 1/2 tsp of the salt, the pepper and the flour until evenly coated.
8 minHeat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large (6- to 7-quart) Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown the beef in 2 or 3 batches without crowding, turning until deeply browned on at least two sides, about 4 minutes per batch. Move the browned beef to a plate.
12 minLower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and the onion. Cook, scraping up the browned bits, until the onion is soft and golden.
5 minStir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the paste turns a shade darker and smells sweet.
2 minPour in the red wine and simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot, until reduced by about half.
3 minAdd the broth, Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaves and the beef with its juices. Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1 hour 15 minutes.
80 minStir in the potatoes, carrots, celery and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, making sure the vegetables are mostly submerged. Cover and return to the oven until the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes are soft, 60 to 75 minutes.
70 minSet the pot on the stovetop and remove the bay leaves. Stir in the peas, if using, and simmer for 3 minutes. If you want a thicker stew, simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes or mash a few potato chunks into the gravy.
5 minStir in the vinegar, taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with the parsley.
2 min
Timings are a guide. Use the instruction and your own judgment as you cook.
Tips
- Use chuck. Chuck roast has the marbling that turns tender and juicy in a long braise. Pre-cut “stew meat” is often a mix of lean cuts that stay chewy, so cut your own if you can.
- Don’t skip the browning. The crusty bits on the bottom of the pot are where most of the stew’s flavor comes from.
- Make it ahead. Cool the stew, then refrigerate it for up to 4 days. The flavor deepens overnight, and any fat that rises is easy to lift off. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth. It freezes well for up to 3 months, though the potatoes soften a bit.
- Slow cooker option. Do steps 1 through 4 on the stove, then move everything (including the potatoes, carrots and celery) to a 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours, then finish with steps 8 and 9.
- No wine? Swap in an extra cup of beef broth plus 1 more tsp of vinegar at the end.
- Dairy-free: As written, this recipe contains no dairy. If you need it gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour blend or thicken with a cornstarch slurry, and check labels on the broth and Worcestershire sauce.
Serve with
Crusty bread, buttermilk biscuits or buttered egg noodles to catch the gravy.
Photo: Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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