One-pot comfort
Beef Stew Recipe: Classic One-Pot Stew With Flexible Vegetables
A rich, reliable beef stew recipe that turns an affordable cut and sturdy vegetables into a deeply flavored one-pot dinner.
- TIME
- 140 min
- SERVES
- 6
A dependable beef stew recipe is a cold-weather rescue plan for sturdy vegetables. Potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, mushrooms, and celery can all share the same pot, while slow simmering turns economical beef into something spoon-tender.
Build flavor before adding liquid
Dry beef browns; wet beef steams. Pat the pieces dry, leave space between them, and let each side develop color before moving it. The browned layer on the bottom of the pot dissolves into the stock and gives the stew its depth.
Let the vegetables follow their texture
Hard roots can cook for the full final hour. Mushrooms need about 20 minutes, while peas and tender greens need only five. This staggered method lets you use a mixed vegetable drawer without turning everything soft.
Keep the stew at a lazy simmer rather than a hard boil. Time, not aggressive heat, makes the beef tender.
From fridge to table
How to make it
- 01
Pat the beef dry, season with salt and pepper, then toss with the flour.
- 02
Heat half the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in uncrowded batches, adding the remaining oil as needed, then transfer it to a plate.
- 03
Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- 04
Slowly stir in the stock, scraping up the browned bits. Return the beef with the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf.
- 05
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partly, and cook for 60 minutes. Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer for 40 to 55 minutes more, until the beef is tender.
- 06
Stir in peas or greens for the final 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, taste, and season before serving.
