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hearty beef stew recipe

Daisyfields Beef Stew

This hearty beef stew features fork-tender chuck roast slowly simmered with aromatic spices and chunky vegetables. The rich, flavorful broth develops over nearly three hours of cooking, creating a deeply satisfying comfort food perfect for cold weather.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 6 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 cup peas fresh preferred, frozen works well too
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 green pepper coarsely cut
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 pounds beef chuck cut into 1½-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 fresh tomatoes peeled and quartered (or 1 14½-ounce can tomatoes, drained)
  • 2½ teaspoons salt
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 onions peeled and cut into big chunks
  • 4 stalks celery sliced
  • 5 potatoes pared and cut into big chunks
  • 6 carrots scraped and cut into big chunks
  • ½ teaspoon thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Equipment

  • Dutch oven
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife

Method
 

  1. Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add beef chuck cubes and sprinkle with sugar to help with caramelization. Brown the meat thoroughly on all sides, taking your time (about 10-15 minutes).
  3. Dust the browned meat with flour and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes to create a subtle thickening agent.
  4. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, thyme, bay leaf, and cloves to the pot.
  5. Add quartered tomatoes and green pepper to the pot.
  6. Pour in beef stock and boiling water. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 2½ hours, until the meat becomes fork-tender.
  7. Add potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery to the pot. Continue cooking for about 1 hour, until vegetables are tender but still hold their shape.
  8. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in the peas.
  9. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve hot with buttered biscuits on the side.

Notes

For the best flavor, don't rush the browning process - this is where much of the stew's rich flavor develops. Look for well-marbled beef chuck for the most tender results.
This stew tastes even better the next day after flavors have had time to meld. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
For a deeper flavor profile, you can substitute half a cup of the beef stock with red wine.