Beef Stew

When chilly weather starts to creep in, only one food can really warm our bones: a hearty, flavor-packed homemade beef stew. While simmering on the stovetop, stew recipes fill the air with comforting aromas that make you feel cozy before you even take a bite. And then, that first bite: The meltingly tender beef mingles with chunks of starchy potatoes, sweet carrots and earthy peas in a thick broth. Pair a big bowl of stew with a slice or two of buttered homemade bread, and you’ll feel as cozy as can be.

This is hands-down our best beef stew recipe. It manages to balance big, beefy flavors and a wine-rich sauce, all without feeling too heavy. Its complex flavor comes from paprika, rosemary and herbes de Provence, a unique spice blend typically made with rosemary, thyme, oregano and lavender. But our recipe for beef stew’s real secret ingredient is a splash of balsamic vinegar—swirling it into the stew just before serving brightens the flavors and cuts through some of the fat for a lighter finish.

Beef Stew Ingredients

• Beef stew meat: Make sure you’re using the right beef stew meat. Chuck roast is our go-to choice for a tender, flavorful homemade beef stew, but a bottom round or rump roast is equally suitable. You can buy prepackaged stew meat or cut a roast into 1-inch cubes at home.
• Vegetables: Tender potatoes, onions, carrots and peas give the stew body and texture. Yukon Gold potatoes or waxy red potatoes are the best types of potatoes for stew, as they hold their form instead of breaking down as starchy russet potatoes do. Of course, you can skip the potatoes and swap in other root vegetables like sweet potatoes, turnips or parsnips.
• Flour: All-purpose flour coats the beef, helping it brown and achieve a flavorful crust. It’s also added at the end to thicken the stew.
• Seasonings: This best beef stew recipe is seasoned with garlic, salt, smoked paprika, herbes de Provence, fresh rosemary and bay leaves.
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds body to the stew and infuses the cooking liquid with a tomatoey flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, try one of these tomato paste substitutes.
• Red wine and beef broth: Red wine and beef broth create the liquid base for this stew. The acidic red wine helps break down the tough muscle fibers in the beef, ensuring it will turn out tender. Feel free to use any dry red wine, like pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon or merlot.
• Balsamic vinegar: If this recipe for beef stew can be known for a secret ingredient, it would be balsamic vinegar. The flavor is complex—simultaneously sweet, savory, tangy and slightly smoky. Check the label for an IGP designation, which indicates the vinegar was produced in Modena, Italy (an area known for its high-quality balsamic).  Red wine vinegar isn’t nearly as complex but works as a substitute.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the beef

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In a small bowl, toss the beef with 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine 4 tablespoons flour with the paprika. Add the beef pieces to the bowl, a few at a time, turning until they’re lightly coated.

Test Kitchen Tip: Coating the beef in paprika-spiced flour adds a delicious smoky flavor. The flour helps the meat brown and caramelize, adding depth to the stew and giving the meat a nice, dark color.

Step 2: Brown the beef

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In a Dutch oven, brown the beef in oil over medium heat.

Editor’s Tip: Make sure to leave space between the beef pieces. Overcrowding the pan will cause the meat to steam instead of brown. If needed, brown the beef in batches.

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Stir in the tomato paste, herbes de Provence and garlic, cooking until fragrant and the color of the beef darkens slightly.

Step 3: Deglaze the pan

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Pour in the wine and cook until the mixture just comes to a boil. Simmer until reduced by half, about five minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Make sure to scrape up all the bits and pieces that have crusted to the bottom of the Dutch oven. They’re known as fond and have tons of flavor!

Step 4: Simmer the stew

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Add the beef broth, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon rosemary, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cover the Dutch oven. Let the stew simmer until the meat is almost tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Step 5: Add the veggies

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Add the potatoes, onions and carrots to the stew. Cover the Dutch oven, and simmer until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer.

Step 6: Add the finishing touches

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Pick out and discard the bay leaves. In a small bowl, mix the remaining rosemary, salt and flour. Add the cold water and balsamic vinegar and stir until smooth.

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Pour the mixture into the stew and bring it to a boil. Add the peas and cook, stirring, until the stew is thickened, about two minutes. If desired, top with additional fresh rosemary before serving.

Recipe Variations

• Use a slow-cooker: To make slow-cooker beef stew, brown the meat and deglaze the pan as directed. Transfer the mixture to a 5-quart slow cooker with the beef broth, bay leaves and rosemary as well as the potatoes, onions and carrots. Cover and cook on low for seven to eight hours, or until the meat and vegetables are tender. Add the peas and the mixture of rosemary, salt, flour, water and balsamic vinegar. Cook on high until thickened.
• Prep dumplings: Make the homemade dumplings from our beef stew with dumplings recipe (a combination of flour, baking powder, salt, herbs, shortening and milk). Drop the herby dumplings into the stew for the last 15 to 20 minutes.
• Use cabbage: Add shredded cabbage alongside the potatoes, onion and carrots to make beef cabbage stew.
• Try it with barley: Add pearl barley to turn this recipe for beef stew into a hearty beef barley stew.
• Make it an Irish dish: To turn this recipe into Irish stew, use lamb instead of beef and stout beer instead of wine.

How to Store Beef Stew

Store leftover homemade beef stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat the stew, simmer it in a covered pan on the stovetop until heated through.

Can you make beef stew ahead of time?

We recommend making our best beef stew recipe ahead of time, if you can. As with most stew recipes, beef stew actually tastes better when the flavors have time to come together in the fridge overnight.

Can you freeze beef stew?

You can freeze homemade beef stew in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Beef Stew Tips

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Can you make beef stew without wine?

To make the best beef stew recipe without wine, substitute an equal quantity of beef broth and add a tablespoon or so of vinegar. The red wine adds flavor to the stew, but its primary purpose is to tenderize the meat’s tough muscle fibers. Adding a little vinegar will introduce the same level of acidity to the simmering broth. If you’re not averse to cooking with alcohol, you can substitute a dark beer like a porter or Irish stout for the wine.

What’s the best kind of beef for beef stew?

We recommend using chuck roast, a muscle from the cow’s front shoulder. This tough cut has a lot of connective tissue, which releases collagen as it cooks to create a smooth, gelatin-rich broth. A round (or rear muscle) also works well but won’t be as tender or flavorful. If you see precut packages labeled “beef stew meat” at the store, ask your butcher what type of meat is included.

How do you thicken stew?

This recipe for beef stew gets its thick consistency from a combination of flour, tomato paste and the potatoes’ natural starches. If the stew isn’t thick enough for your liking, try simmering it, uncovered, to evaporate some of the cooking liquid. You can also use one of these ways to thicken sauce, including swapping in cornstarch to make gluten-free stew.