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Beef Stew
Zoey

Beef Stew

Treat yourself to an oh-so-satisfying Sunday dinner with our best beef stew recipe. The secret to this stew's success is the balsamic vinegar, which adds complexity and brightens up the beefy, wine-rich broth.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: European, Italian
Calories: 366

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 1.5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
  • 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1.5 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, divided
  • 3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
  • 3 cups coarsely chopped onions (about 2 large)
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas

Equipment

  • Dutch oven

Method
 

Instructions
  1. 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.
  2. 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. Stir in the tomato paste, herbes de Provence and garlic, cooking until fragrant and the color of the beef darkens slightly.
  3. 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!
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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. 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.