“I’ve made this dozens of times and the family cannot get enough! The sauce is just incredible!”

Here’s the recipe broken down into simpler steps with some additional tips for a hearty and flavorful stew:

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew: A Classic Comfort Food

This recipe creates a delicious and comforting beef stew, perfect for a cozy meal. Packed with tender beef, colorful vegetables, and a rich broth, it’s a hearty dish that’s easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Brown the Beef for Rich Flavor:

   • Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
   • Pat the cubed beef stew meat dry with paper towels. This helps the meat brown properly.
   • In a bowl, toss the beef with the flour, salt, and pepper. This coating helps create a beautiful brown crust on the meat and thickens the stew slightly.
   • Sear the beef in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Don’t overcrowd the pot; brown the meat in batches if necessary. This step is important for developing rich flavor in the stew.

2. Building the Savory Broth:

   • Once the beef is browned, pour in the water and beef broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (deglazing). These browned bits contain a lot of flavor, and deglazing ensures they get incorporated into the broth.
   • Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. This allows the flavors of the browned beef to infuse the broth.

3. Adding the Hearty Vegetables:

   • Add the cubed potatoes, chopped carrots, and dried rosemary to the pot. You can also add chopped turnips or tomatoes at this point if you’re using them.
   • Increase the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.

4. Freshness Burst (Optional):

   • If using fresh corn kernels and green beans, add them to the pot in the last 10 minutes of cooking. This ensures they retain their fresh flavor and crisp-tender texture.

5. Simmering for Perfection:

   • Continue simmering the stew over low heat for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through. The longer you simmer, the richer and more flavorful the stew will become.

6. Seasoning and Enjoying:

   • Taste the stew and adjust the seasonings with additional salt and pepper if needed.
   • Serve the Old-Fashioned Beef Stew hot, spooned into bowls, with crusty bread for dipping.