Beef stew was a favorite thing in our family growing up. It took a little meat, usually something that needed a long cooking time to make it tender, a cheap cut of beef. Or whatever my mother had left int the freezer from a slaughtered cow.
Daddy had a specific way to eat it – find the chunks of potatoes, smash them with his fork, then use the gravy, meat and vegetables over the potato base. Mom always had a loaf of store bought Italian bread to go with it. Perfect for mopping up gravy.
A stew typically means meat cooked slowly (braised) in liquid. Additions of beer, wine, and tomatoes help break down meat further. Although I use beer, you could substitute red wine and end up more with a French style Beef Bourguignon. If you want to omit any alcohol, a tablespoon of vinegar can be substituted.
You’ll need a fairly large Dutch Oven, either cast iron or stainless steel – definitely something with a heavy bottom that will maintain heat. This recipe will feed a crowd of at least 6-8 people.
In the notes below I suggest buying a roast rather than already prepared cubed beef labeled “stew meat”. I find often these ore left over pieces that have lots of connective tissue running through the pieces. If I see a rump or bottom round roast on sale or marked down, I grab it and put it in the freezer. Once trimmed of fat and tissue, I end up with chunks of solid meat, with maybe a bit of marbling.
The hands on time is only about half an hour, to prep the veggies and meats, and saute the base and brown the meat.
first, get the onions and mushrooms going.
For the best flavor, it’s important to dry the chunks of meat, and coat in flour. I like to add my own seasoned salt but regular salt and pepper are fine. Once they hit the hot fat, the outside will caramelize – which equals lots of flavor. Although this could be prepared in a slow cooker or pressure cooker, I prefer to cook on top of the stove or in the oven. The house smells divine as it simmers away.
searing the meat
As for added vegetables, I save any leftovers – you know, the tablespoon of peas, or half a cup of green beans – from prior meals into a quart container in the freezer. Once I have a quart of save vegetable I make soup or stew, using as much as I need. When coated in luscious gravy, vegetable can be more appealing to the family members who are picky! If you don’t have any leftovers, use a bag of mixed vegetables or whatever canned or frozen veggies you have on hand.
One of our first border collies, though, hated peas – he could roll them around in his mouth and spit them out to the side of his dish, while eating up everything else. Children may also do this.
Fox Pines Beef Stew
An old-fashioned beef stew with vegetables and gravy. Or try using game meat like deer or elk. Be sure to have crusty bread or corn bread to serve with it, great for sopping up the gravy! Though it takes an afternoon to make, the house smells wonderful, and the making itself is quite easy.
Ingredients
base
- 1/4 cup bacon grease or oil, devided
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
meat
- 3 pounds cubed meat well trimmed
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 bottle beer
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
final ingredients
- 3-4 potatoes, cubed and dried red, yellow or idaho white
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 2 cup other assorted vegetables corn, green beans, lima beans
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce or ketchup
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1 tsp parsley
Instructions
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Melt the bacon grease in a large heavy (cast iron) dutch oven over medium low heat. Add in the onion and celery, and stir occasionally until wilted, than add in the mushrooms, stirring again until a bit brown. Finally add in garlic and saute briefly. Remove the base and set aside.
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Dry the meat cubes with paper towels or clean dish cloths, and place in a bag (plastic or paper. Add in the flour and salt, or any variety of seasoned salt you like. close the bag and shake to coat the cubes of meat.
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Add more bacon grease or oil to the dutch oven, and bring heat to medium. Once it's hot, start adding a few pieces of the meat - it should sizzle loudly. Only add a few pieces and do not crowd the pan. Crowding will cause meat to release too many juices and steam, rather than brown. Remove pieces after browning on all sides and put in the bowl with the base. Continue until all meat is browned.
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Now with that lovely fond in the bottom of the cast iron, lower heat back to low, and pour in the beer - carefully. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release all those wonderfully flavored browned bits.
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Return the beef and base back to the pot into the beer, and add about 4 cups of water - enough so the meat is all covered. Add in the cumin and smoked paprika. Put in the fresh rosemary sprig (i prefer using fresh over dry for this). Cover and let simmer for about an hour.
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Remove rosemary sprig, and add in the remaining ingredients. Cover and continue to simmer over low heat until the meat is tender - I usually wait 2-3 hours.
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For thicker sauce, use a slurry of potato starch or cornstarch to make thick gravy.
Recipe Notes
Buy a roast and cut and trim yourself rather than buying "stew" meat. It often has a lot of grizzle or connective tissue in pieces.
Buy a roast and trim meat well. Things like a rump roast, bottom round roast or chuck roast all need low slow braising to become tender and that's exactly what a stew does. Although marbling is okay, trim off any fat, connective tissue or grizzle around the roast. You'll end up with cubes of solid meat. Cut them into 1 - 1 1/2 inch pieces.
What meal do you remember from your childhood?