Best Beef Stew
This beef stew recipe is the perfect fall food and something I always crave when the weather cools down. Made with veggies and tender chunks of beef in a thick and hearty tomato and red wine broth, you just can't go wrong. Serve with your favorite bread on the side.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stew meat - cut into bite size pieces, if preferred
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves - pressed or minced
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup dry red wine - cabernet sauvignon or malbec
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup pearl onions - peeled (or 1 additional tsp onion powder)
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3-4 tbsp Organic Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base - (the non-organic version has dairy in it)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 6 carrots - peeled and cut into diagonal 1/2 inch thick pieces
- 1 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes - halved
OR
- 1 lb red potatoes - peeled and cut into bite size pieces
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
OPTIONAL
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a soup pot or large dutch oven over medium heat.
- Working in small batches, add the stew meat and brown it a little. Remove from pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic and saute for about a minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Add tomato paste and onion powder. Stir around, spreading the tomato paste and scraping it back and forth. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water if needed to prevent burning. Keep stirring until tomato paste darkens.
- Add wine and deglaze. Let the wine simmer for a few seconds to reduce and remove the alcohol. Stir constantly, using a spoon to scrape the bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the wine is reduced, add a little water to continue deglazing as needed, then add the rest of the water.
- Dump the stew meat back into the pot and stir.
- Increase the heat again and bring it back to a boil.
- Stir in 2 tbsp of the bouillon paste, diced tomatoes and corn.
- While the stew is simmering and the meat is getting tender, prep carrots and potatoes. If already prepped, then let the stew simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot. Add a little more water if needed.
- Taste the broth. Add salt, pepper and additional bouillon if needed.
- When the broth tastes how you want it, let the stew continue simmering for 30 minutes.
- Serve immediately or let cool completely, then cover and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.