
Comforting Beef Stew
I have had very few beef stews that I actually like, but this beef stew packs a beautiful punch of robust, deep flavors!!! It's so comforting that it just makes you want to curl up with a blanket and a book and not move all winter! The key here is to make sure to cook the ingredients at least as long as is listed in the recipe so that you can properly develop those flavors. You could also try making this in a crockpot! Enjoy!
Original recipe found at: https://lifemadesweeter.com/slow-cooker-homemade-beef-stew/
Ingredients
- chuck roast or stew meat - 2 lbs.
- olive oil - 3-4 tbs.
- onion powder - 1/2 tsp.
- tomato paste - 6 tbs.
- balsamic vinegar - 2 tbs.
- salt - 1 1/2 tsp (or to taste)
- black pepper - 1/2 tsp (or to taste)
- Italian seasoning - 2 tsp (heaping)
- yellow onion - 1 medium (cut into large chunks or diced)
- garlic cloves - 4 minced (or 4 tsp already minced)
- Yukon Gold Potatoes - 4 medium
- sweet potato - 1 large
- carrots - 3 medium (peeled and sliced)
- Dave's steak seasoning (gluten free) - 2 tsp
- beef broth - 4 cups
- chicken broth - 2 c.
- cornstarch or gluten free flour - 3 tbs. (mixed with about 1/4 cup of water)
Instructions
- Heat up olive oil in a large soup pot.
- While the oil is heating up, cut the beef chuck up into bite size pieces (unless you have the stew meat which is already chopped up).
- Add the beef to the hot oil and let it sear on the outside, but don't cook it all the way through. Sear it until it has a nice deep brown color on the outside. As Chef Anne Burrell says "Brown food tastes good!!!".
- When the meat is nice and seared, take it out of the pan and set it on a plate or in a bowl to the side.
- Add onions and garlic to the pot and cook for about a minute.
- Add the balsamic vinegary first to deglaze the pan and then add the tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Let this cook for about a minute while stirring.
- Add the meat back into the pan along with all the other ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and then let simmer for at least 2 hours. You could probably also throw it in a crockpot at this point and let it cook for 5 to 7 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.
- If the stew is too thin, you can mix about 3 tbs. of cornstarch or gluten free flour with about 1/4 c. of water and pour into the stew to give it a thicker consistency.
- Enjoy!