Where I live, you can get what's called throwaway beef.
It's not bad or anything, it just has a high fat content. Ten pounds of it is roughly 10 maybe 15 USD. So I buy quite a bit of that, but if you're willing to take the time to cut the fat away, you end up with around 3 to 6 pounds of good round beef for about 10 bucks. It’s a little more or less depending on the cut or shop. I do take advantage of this.
Beef stew is one of those things I love to make this time of year where I live. It's bitterly cold outside, but a nice hot bowl of beef stew makes it alright.
This recipe is designed to create a deep, savory, and slightly thickened broth by searing the beef and slowly simmering the ingredients, finishing with a quick addition of pre-cooked mixed vegetables.
Ingredients
Meat: 2 lbs Beef Round Steak or Bottom Round (cut into 1-inch cubes).
Aromatics: 1 large "Hot" Onion (e.g., yellow or white onion), diced.
Root Vegetables: 2 medium-sized Potatoes, peeled (optional) and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Liquid/Flavor Base: 4 cups Beef Broth (or beef stock), 1/2 cup Red Wine (optional, but highly recommended for depth), 2 tbsp Tomato Paste, 2 cloves Garlic minced, 1 tsp Dried Thyme, 1 Bay Leaf, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
Thickener: 1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (for dusting beef) + 3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (for roux).
Finishing Vegetables: 1 (15 oz) can Mixed Vegetables (drained). Fats & Seasoning: 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil, Salt, and Black Pepper.
Instructions
1. Prepare and Sear the Beef
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of flour, salt, and pepper until lightly coated. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef until deeply browned on all sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). Do not overcrowd the pot. Remove the seared beef and set aside.
2. Sauté Aromatics and Create the Thickener
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pot, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the 3 tablespoons of flour and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and form a rich roux with the pot drippings.
3. Build the Flavor Base
Stir in the tomato paste and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine (if using) and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, reducing slightly. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Stir vigorously to ensure the flour mixture dissolves completely. Return the seared beef to the pot. Add the bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
4. Simmer and Add Potatoes
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender. The flour will thicken the broth during this time. Add the cubed potatoes to the pot. Stir gently, cover, and continue to simmer for another 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Finish and Serve (Achieving Desired Thickness)
Remove the bay leaf. Add the contents of the drained can of mixed vegetables to the stew. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes just to heat through. Check Consistency: Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. If the stew is still too thin, remove the lid and let it simmer gently for 10-20 minutes to allow the excess liquid to evaporate and the stew to thicken further. Serve hot with Garlic bread or over Rice.
at least, that's how I do it. Again, as always, substitute anything you don't like or can't have with something you do like.
I'll toss out another recipe when I make the next one, it's something different.
Hope you Enjoy if you make this :3
It's not bad or anything, it just has a high fat content. Ten pounds of it is roughly 10 maybe 15 USD. So I buy quite a bit of that, but if you're willing to take the time to cut the fat away, you end up with around 3 to 6 pounds of good round beef for about 10 bucks. It’s a little more or less depending on the cut or shop. I do take advantage of this.
Beef stew is one of those things I love to make this time of year where I live. It's bitterly cold outside, but a nice hot bowl of beef stew makes it alright.
This recipe is designed to create a deep, savory, and slightly thickened broth by searing the beef and slowly simmering the ingredients, finishing with a quick addition of pre-cooked mixed vegetables.
Ingredients
Meat: 2 lbs Beef Round Steak or Bottom Round (cut into 1-inch cubes).
Aromatics: 1 large "Hot" Onion (e.g., yellow or white onion), diced.
Root Vegetables: 2 medium-sized Potatoes, peeled (optional) and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Liquid/Flavor Base: 4 cups Beef Broth (or beef stock), 1/2 cup Red Wine (optional, but highly recommended for depth), 2 tbsp Tomato Paste, 2 cloves Garlic minced, 1 tsp Dried Thyme, 1 Bay Leaf, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
Thickener: 1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (for dusting beef) + 3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (for roux).
Finishing Vegetables: 1 (15 oz) can Mixed Vegetables (drained). Fats & Seasoning: 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil, Salt, and Black Pepper.
Instructions
1. Prepare and Sear the Beef
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of flour, salt, and pepper until lightly coated. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef until deeply browned on all sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). Do not overcrowd the pot. Remove the seared beef and set aside.
2. Sauté Aromatics and Create the Thickener
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pot, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the 3 tablespoons of flour and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and form a rich roux with the pot drippings.
3. Build the Flavor Base
Stir in the tomato paste and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine (if using) and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, reducing slightly. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Stir vigorously to ensure the flour mixture dissolves completely. Return the seared beef to the pot. Add the bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
4. Simmer and Add Potatoes
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender. The flour will thicken the broth during this time. Add the cubed potatoes to the pot. Stir gently, cover, and continue to simmer for another 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Finish and Serve (Achieving Desired Thickness)
Remove the bay leaf. Add the contents of the drained can of mixed vegetables to the stew. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes just to heat through. Check Consistency: Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. If the stew is still too thin, remove the lid and let it simmer gently for 10-20 minutes to allow the excess liquid to evaporate and the stew to thicken further. Serve hot with Garlic bread or over Rice.
at least, that's how I do it. Again, as always, substitute anything you don't like or can't have with something you do like.
I'll toss out another recipe when I make the next one, it's something different.
Hope you Enjoy if you make this :3
A few generous spoonfuls over top of a bed of rice sounds divine
