Beef Stew

So delicious, you may not wait until the winter months to make it.

When temperatures aren’t as warm as we like, soups and stews often appear on dinner tables, usually with a side of biscuits. This beef stew is full of flavor and textures, and the slow cooking method not only makes your house smell wonderful but also warms it up.

SOFTWARE

·         2 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press

·         1 T. tomato paste

·         4 lbs. beef chuck roast, pat dry, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

·         2 T. olive oil

·         1 large onion, cut in half then into thick slices

·         20 baby carrots, each cut in half across the short middle

·         1/4 c. flour

·         2 c. red wine (use something you would drink – a pinot noir is a great choice)

·         2 c. chicken stock

·         2 bay leaves

·         2 T. dried thyme

·         4 oz. salt pork, rinced

·         4 Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces

·         12 oz. pearl onions, thawed if frozen

·         8 oz. peas, thawed if frozen

·         Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1.      Heat oven to 300 degrees.

2.      In a small bowl, mix the pressed garlic and tomato paste. Set aside.

3.      Using a heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat, warm 1 T. of the olive oil. Place half of the beef in the Dutch oven and brown on all sides – about 8-10 minutes. Remove to a plate, and repeat with the other half of the beef, adding another tablespoon of olive oil.

4.      Once the second half is browned, reduce the heat to medium and return the first half of beef back to the Dutch oven. Add the onions and carrots, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to gather up any browned bits.

5.      Cook for about 2 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste mixture and stir to combine.

6.      Sprinkle in the flour and stir until no visible flour remains.

7.      Stir in the wine and simmer until thickened. Stir in the stock, bay leaves, thyme, and salt pork.

8.      After the stew returns to a simmer, cover and place in the oven. Cook for 90 minutes.

9.      Remove from the oven and take out the bay leaves and salt pork. Add the potatoes, re-cover, and return the pot to the oven. Cook for an additional 45 minutes.

10.  Take the pot from the oven and place it over medium heat on the stovetop. Add in the pearl onions and peas, cover, stir, and cook for 15 minutes.

11.  If the stew becomes too thick, add a bit more stock until you get to the desired consistency. If it is too thin, gradually add a bit of flour until thicker.

12.  Serve with salt and pepper.

13.  Enjoy

VARIANTS

You can find stew meat already trimmed and cut into pieces in most grocery stores. Just make sure the meat isn’t too dry in the packaging. Biscuits are suggested on the side, but any crusty bread will do as well. The stew does reheat well in the days after cooking.