Best EVER Chunky Beef Stew

CHUNKY BEEF STEW

4.9 from 11reviews

CHUNKY BEEF STEW

SAVEPRINT

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

1 hour

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 15 mins

Total Cost: $10.38

Cost Per Serving: $1.73

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 to 1½ lbs. boneless stew meat 
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour 
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 oz. tomato paste 
• 3 cups beef broth* 
• 1 whole bay leaf 
• ¾ tsp dried thyme 
• ¾ tsp dried rosemary 
• to taste freshly cracked pepper 
• ½ lb. (about 3) carrots 
• 1 lb. potatoes 
• 1 cup frozen peas 
• 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce 
• ¼ bunch parsley (optional) 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the beef into smaller, bite-sized chunks. Add the beef and flour to a small bowl and toss the beef in the flour until it is well coated.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it is hot, add about half of the beef chunks and cook until golden brown. Once browned, remove the beef, add the second batch, and cook until browned again. Try not to stir the beef as it is browning, that will make it take longer. Adding all of the beef at once will over crowd the pot and cause moisture to build up, which will also prevent browning. The beef does not have to be fully cooked at this point, just browned on the outside.
3. While the beef is browning, chop the onion into wedges and mince the garlic. After the beef has browned, add the onion and garlic to the pot, and saute it for 2-3 minutes. If the browned bits on the bottom of the pot become very dark or look like they will burn, move on to the next step immediately. The onions do not need to be fully cooked.
4. Add the tomato paste and beef broth to the pot. Stir the pot until all of the browned bits have dissolved off of the bottom. Return the browned beef to the pot and also add the bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and a generous dose of freshly cracked pepper. Stir to combine.
5. Place a lid on the pot and allow it to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, turn the heat down to low and let it continue to simmer for 30 minutes. If it stops bubbling (simmering) at any point, turn the heat up just slightly.
6. While the pot is simmering, peel and slice the carrots. Wash the potatoes well and cut them into ¾ inch cubes. Once the pot has simmered for 30 minutes, add the carrots, potatoes, and peas. Cover the pot again and let simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
7. Stir the worcestershire sauce into the stew. Taste the stew and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Roughly chop a handful of parsley and sprinkle it over top. Serve hot.

NOTES

*I use concentrated beef broth (bouillon) + water to make broth, which is less expensive than canned broths.