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Beef Stew

Beef Stew

Slow-Simmered Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

There's something deeply satisfying about beef that falls apart at the touch of a fork, surrounded by vegetables that have absorbed every drop of savory goodness. This stew builds flavor in layers — from the initial browning to the final gentle simmer that transforms tough cuts into pure comfort.

AmericanDinnerComfort FoodOne PotSlow CookerBeefFallWinter
Prep20 min
Cook1 hr 15 min
Total1 hr 35 min
Servings6
Difficultymedium

Ingredients

  • 2 lbstewing beef (chuck roast or bottom round), trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 3 tbspall-purpose flour
  • ½ tspgarlic powder
  • ½ tspkosher salt
  • ½ tspfreshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tbspolive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 6 cuplow-sodium beef broth
  • ½ cupdry red wine (Cabernet or Merlot work well)(optional)
  • 1 lbYukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch diagonal pieces
  • 4 stalkcelery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 tbsptomato paste
  • 1 tspdried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
  • 2 tbspcornstarch
  • 2 tbspcold water
  • ¾ cupfrozen peas (no need to thaw)

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the beef cubes and toss until each piece is evenly coated — this coating will help create that beautiful brown crust and later thicken your stew.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the floured beef and diced onion, stirring occasionally as the meat develops a deep golden-brown crust on all sides — about 6-8 minutes total. Don't crowd the pan; work in batches if needed.
  3. Pour in the beef broth and red wine, if using, and scrape up all those caramelized bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. These browned bits are pure flavor gold and will dissolve into your broth as it heats.
  4. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato paste, and rosemary to the pot and stir everything together. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Let it bubble away quietly for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the beef yields easily to a fork.
    1 hr
  5. Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl until completely smooth — no lumps allowed. Increase the heat to bring your stew to a gentle boil, then slowly drizzle in the cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly. The stew will thicken within a minute or two.
  6. Fold in the frozen peas and let the stew simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the peas are heated through and bright green. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed — your stew should be rich, savory, and deeply satisfying.
    7 min 30 sec