We all know silence is golden.
But silence is never such a welcome guest than at a ravenous dinner table.
This beef stew was made on a cold, damp fall day. I took it to my parents’ house to enjoy it with family; everyone came to the dinner table laughing and joking, and as bowls of stew were ladled out and passed around everyone started eating. And you could hear a pin drop.
This stew is straight out of kitchen staples…carrot, celery, onion, and a bit of potato; no fancy ingredients here. I even used frozen peas and canned mushrooms. Of course if you have fresh peas or mushrooms on hand, go ahead and use them!
A Note About the Veggies: When you’re cooking a stew, make sure you cut all the veggies so that the cook in the same amount of time. That doesn’t mean cutting all the veggies the same size, although you should cut all of the same veggie the same size…for example, if you’re cutting the carrots into 1/4-inch buttons, don’t cut some carrots into 2-inch pieces. Because different veggies have different cooking times (for example, potatoes cook quicker than carrots), they need to be handled differently. I like to chop the onion, cube the potatoes, button the carrots, and dice the celery; cooked like this they all take about the same amount of time to cook. Also, when it comes to peeling, I like the rustic look of unpeeled (but thoroughly scrubbed, of course ;) ) veggies in stew (which also helps to retain nutrition, as a lot of nutrients are generally found in the peel of the vegetable); however, you can absolutely peel them if you prefer.
Basic Beef Stew {using pantry staples}
Serves about 8
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 lb stewing beef, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes (I like to use beef sirloin)
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
About 7-8 cups water, divided
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 soft beef-flavored bouillon cubes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb (about 3 medium) onion, chopped
1 lb (about 6-8 medium) carrot, sliced into 1/4-inch buttons
4 large stalks celery, diced
1 medium potato, cubed (I leave the peel on)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour whisked with 1 cup water (optional; to thicken)
1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Mashed potatoes or Colcannon (optional; for serving)
In a 5-quart pot with a lid, heat the oil on medium-high heat; when the oil starts to ripple, add half the beef and brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the browned beef and cook the remaining meat the same way. Add the browned beef back into the pot along with the garlic and rosemary; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the flour and cook 2 minutes, continuing to stir constantly.
Add 6 cups water, the Worcestershire, bouillon cubes, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Turn heat up to high and bring the stew up to a boil, then cover the pot, turn heat down to simmer, and let it cook for 60 to 90 minutes (stirring occasionally), or until the meat is tender but not falling apart.
Add the onion, carrot, celery, and potato and enough water to just cover everything (about 1 to 2 cups). Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil, then turn heat down to simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the veggies are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you want your stew even thicker (which is how we like ours), whisk in the flour/water mixture during the last 10 minutes that the veggies are cooking, stirring more frequently after you add this.
Add the mushrooms and peas and cook 5 minutes more; taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve hot, on top of mashed potatoes or Colcannon, if desired.
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Mouthwatering! I’d love some for lunch.
Cheers,
Rosa
That looks really good… wish I could have some right now!
I love a classic meatball!
I meant soup…obviously I have beef on the brain!
So I have never made beef stew—this is a good tutorial :)
I think I could totally implement this, and it’s great stew weather right now!
been using a lot of worcestershire sauce lately … never really considered myself a fan, but it’s so useful in the fall. we made lentil soup last night … not nearly as photogenic, but still tasted great. cheers!
Stew is a perfect cold day meal!
OOOOOH my hubs is going to loooove this one!
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What’s For Dinner
http://www.mawhats4dinner.com
Faith this looks delicious and so comforting! I totally agree about just scrubbing carrots – I very rarely peel my carrots.
I love beef stew! it’s so easy to make and always comforting! :)
It has that nice velvety sheen that distinguishes a proper stew!
Stew is always so comforting during these dreary days! Thanks for the recipe Faith!
Comforting and delicious! Love this dish!
Ah the comfy stew! And love how yours looks so hardy with big pieces of meat and veggies. Potatoes next to it is a big hit too.
My mouth is watering; this looks divine! Comfort dishes are best when they’re made with simple ingredients. :)
A good stew is just about the perfect comfort food. On a cold windy day sometimes I want nothing else!
Mmm, a perfect meal on a blustery, fall evening. I just want to curl up with a big bowl of that while wearing my pjs and fuzzy slippers. LOL Is that wrong? ;)
This stew looks amazing! Artie and I crave foods like this during the winter. Yum!
What a great winter warmer. I love stew
Looks mouthwatering!
There’s nothing better on a cold day than a nice hot bowl of hearty stew or soup. This looks like one of those that would be perfect for warming you up. Sounds and looks delicious.
What a delicious, fall and winter meal to warm your body and soul! Your few with the potatoes on the side looks so good.
Faith, this is a great reminder that using the pantry basics will insure a simple satisfying meal. That first beef stew of the cold weather season is always welcomed with grateful ravenous silence!!
I like the various sauces and veggies you used in this basic stew..might make my veggie version soon!
Beef stew is one of my favorite meals to make when the weather turns cool. Yours sounds like it was great since you created silence in the room.
thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog :)
this stew looks so yummy and hearty and warm :)
let us know how more about the compiling of your recipe process – or did I miss that post?
hugs
Betty Bake x
I love that first photo! It’s so beautifully staged, with the pitcher of water and the country linen. So pretty!
This stew is like a big, long hug Faith! :D
Crazy- I just made a huge batch of seitan, without any real plans for it, and I was starting to think that a stew would be nice. This is it exactly! Just switch in seitan for meat, and it’s perfect. Thank you, I’m making it asap!
(And PS, I’m with you on the whole veggie peeling thing; I only peel them when I have to photograph them. Otherwise, I’d prefer the added nutrition and less prep work!)
I absolutely adore beef stew, Faith. :-) It is so nourishing and comforting at the same time. :-) I’m ESPECIALLY fond of that lovely old enamel plate you’re serving it in. :-)
I never thought I’d say this, but that is some gorgeous stew! lol! How do you make even stew look so pretty? I love that you served it with colcannon too!
I’m like you Faith, I like to leave the peel on. Partly cause I’m lazy..teehee…but also partly b/c of the nutritional gain. This beef stew looks fantastic for a chilly day and the ingredients used sure are hearty. Would love a bowl of that right now.