Best 6 Thick And Hearty Classic Beef Stew Recipes

HEARTY BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a 4-qt. Dutch oven or baking dish, layer the first 12 ingredients; pour tomato juice over all. Cover and bake at 325° for 3 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the meat and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving.

CLASSIC, HEARTY BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place beef cubes into a large bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add flour and paprika and toss until evenly coated.
• Heat oil in an oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef cubes in batches until dark brown, about 4 minutes per side. Flip or stir gently with a wooden spoon until all edges are dark brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove beef and set aside.
• Add onions to the beef fat with more salt and pepper; cook and stir until they begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir until aromatic and soft, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it turns brown and begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up the flavorful browned bits on the bottom. Let the wine reduce until almost dry again, about 3 minutes.
• Add dried thyme, dried rosemary, herbes de Provence, and bay leaves. Add 2 cups beef broth and Worcestershire, stir, and bring to a boil. Add the seared beef cubes back into the stew liquid. Remove from heat and cover the pot.
• Braise in the preheated oven until meat is almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven. Add carrots, potatoes, and more beef broth if needed. Cover and return to the oven to braise until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer.
• Discard bay leaves. Stir in peas, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. Serve hot.

CLASSIC BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In an oven-safe Dutch oven, brown beef in batches in oil; drain. Return all meat to the pan. Add onions, tomatoes, broth, tapioca, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. , Cover stew and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Stir in carrots, potatoes and celery. Bake, covered, 1 hour longer or until meat and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

THICK AND HEARTY CLASSIC BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Cut up beef into large, double bite-sized chunks trimming all fat. (*Beef shrinks as it cooks so go much larger than you would think.) Set aside.
• In large mixing bowl, mix well the next 6 (dry) ingredients.
• Add large chunks of beef and toss with a large spoon to coat each piece well until all are evenly coated and all of spice and flour mixture is absorbed and stuck to the meat. (*Shaking in a bag does not work well. A bowl and large spoon works perfectly.) Set aside.
• In large heavy-bottomed, non-stick stock pot that has a lid, add shortening and melt over medium-high heat. Swirl around pan and add meat all at once. Let sit a minute before trying to stir. Then stir now and then to brown pieces on all sides.
• Add next 10 ingredients, scrape yummy bits from bottom of pan, cover, reduce heat until simmering, and simmer for about 45 minutes until meat is tender, stirring only occasionally.
• Add butter, sugar, carrots, potatoes and celery, recover, bring back to a low boil over medium-high, reduce heat to low, and simmer again (covered) for another 30 -35 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Time will depend on how chunky you cut your veggies, so you may want to check yours after 25 minutes for tenderness. *Stir once or twice during simmering to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.
• Stir in drained corn and heat through.
• Remove lid and bring up to a simmer without the lid. Mix cornstarch and cold water and stir into pot to thicken. Simmer 1-2 more minutes. Ladle into bowls, and serve with warm buttered biscuits or bread, and hot sauce on the side for those who like to spike it hot!
• *Don't forget to remove the bay leaves before serving....or.... leave one in there and whoever gets it has to do the dishes!
• Leftover stew will very thick after chilling, do not add any liquid! Stew will thin back out after reheating.

OLD FASHIONED BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Brown meat in a large preheated and lightly oiled stock pot or dutch oven over med high heat until meat has browned on all sides.
• Add onion and celery and continue to brown for a few minutes, stirring often.
• Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute stirring constantly.
• Add parsley, bay leaves, undrained tomatoes and stock to pan and carefully scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
• Bring all to a boil then reduce to simmer and cook for 2 hours or until meat just begins to get tender.
• Add potatoes and carrots and cook about 30 more minutes or until vegetables and meat are all tender.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. A pinch of sugar will be a surprising touch that will mellow any acidity from the tomatoes and really bring out all the flavors well. JUST a pinch--any more will make it sweet and strange. For the first time try adding just a few granules in in a bowl of the stew and see if you like it.
• THICKER STEW: Add a slurry of cornstarch and cold water to hot stew and cook to desired consistency.
• MORE VEGGIES: Try adding some fresh or frozen corn kernels, diced zucchini, shredded cabbage, fresh or frozen peas or any other veggies you like when you add the carrots and potatoes.
• NOTE: Do not let anyone eat the bay leaves! They can be removed before serving!

SLOW COOKER HEARTY BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Dry beef with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 T oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.
• Add half of beef and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer to slow cooker inset and repeat with remaining beef (you shouldn't need more oil).
• Add 1 T oil, onions and 1/4 t salt to empty skillet and cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
• Add tomato paste and cook, stirring well, for 2 minutes.
• Add broth and soy sauce, bring to a simmer and transfer to slow-cooker inset.
• Toss carrots, parsnips, potatoes, 1/2 t thyme, and remaining 1 T oil in bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Wrap vegetables in foil packet that will fit in slow cooker.
• Note: To make the pack, place the vegetables on one side of a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• Fold the foil over, shaping it into a packet that will fit into your slow cooker, then crimp to seal the edges.
• Stir bay leaves and tapioca into slow-cooker insert; set vegetable packet on top of beef.
• Set slow cooker to high, cover, and cook for 6-7 hours (or cook on low for 10 hours-11 hours).
• Transfer vegetable packet to plate.
• Carefully open packet (watch for steam) and stir vegetables and juices into stew.
• Add remaining 1 t thyme and peas and let stand until heated through.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.