Description
A rich and hearty Red Wine Beef Stew featuring tender chunks of beef chuck slow-cooked with aromatic herbs, red wine, and fresh vegetables, topped with a savory bacon, pearl onion, carrot, and mushroom sauté. Perfect for a comforting meal that fills the home with inviting aromas.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Stew
- 2 ½ pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1½ inch chunks
- 2 onions, diced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1 cup red wine (such as syrah or zinfandel)
- 3 cups beef stock
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch coins
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
Vegetable Topping
- 1 cup pearl onions (or cipollini onions)
- 2-3 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 8 crimini mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 2 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch lardons
Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) to prepare for slow-cooking the stew.
- Season Beef: Season the beef chunks generously with kosher salt and set aside to let the seasoning penetrate.
- Sauté Onions: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add diced onions, season with kosher salt, and cook while stirring frequently until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Add Tomato Paste and Garlic: Stir in tomato paste and garlic, cooking constantly for 2 minutes until the mixture turns rust-colored and fragrant.
- Cook Flour: Add the flour and stir well, cooking for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste and help thicken the stew later.
- Add Liquids: Slowly whisk in beef stock followed by red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to enrich the stew’s flavor.
- Add Herbs and Simmer: Stir in fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add Beef: Stir in the seasoned beef pieces, arranging them so some parts rest above the liquid; bring back to a simmer.
- Oven Cook Part 1: Transfer the Dutch oven, uncovered, to the preheated oven. Cook the stew for 1 hour and 45 minutes to tenderize the beef.
- Add Vegetables: Remove the stew from the oven. Scrape down the pot sides to incorporate browned bits. Add potatoes and carrots, stir gently, and rearrange the beef so it rests on top, exposed to the oven heat to brown.
- Oven Cook Part 2: Return the pot uncovered to the oven and cook for another hour or until potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Prepare Vegetable Topping – Start: In a medium sauté pan, add just enough water to cover the bottom and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook Bacon and Onions: Add bacon lardons to the pan, cover, and cook until water boils. Then remove the lid and add pearl onions and carrot pieces, cooking and stirring often until water evaporates.
- Add Mushrooms and Season: Once the water is gone, add sliced crimini mushrooms and a light sprinkling of salt (keep in mind the bacon’s saltiness). Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Sauté Vegetables: Cook the mixture, stirring often, until the vegetables are nicely browned, about 20-30 minutes. Add a drizzle of olive oil if bacon fat is insufficient for sautéing.
- Finish Stew: When the beef stew is done, remove it from the oven. Stir gently and scrape any browned bits off the sides back into the stew. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Spoon the stew into individual bowls, top with the sautéed vegetable mixture and sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired.
- Optional: Serve with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- Use a good quality red wine such as Syrah or Zinfandel for the best flavor.
- Ensure to brown the onions well for a deep, sweet flavor base.
- The beef should be arranged partly out of the liquid before oven cooking to encourage browning and better texture.
- The vegetable topping adds a savory contrast and extra textures to the tender stew.
- Scraping the browned bits (fond) from the pot enhances the stew’s depth of flavor.
- This stew can also be made a day ahead; flavors will deepen overnight.
- If preferred, substitute pearl onions with cipollini onions or peeled shallots.
- Adjust salt cautiously when adding bacon as it imparts significant saltiness.
