Dutch Oven Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes
Cubed chuck browned hard and simmered low in a flour-thickened broth until a spoon is the only tool the bowl needs.
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 hrs 30 min
- Written
Method
-
Toss the beef cubes with a heavy pinch of salt and pepper, then dust with the flour until lightly coated.
-
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and brown the beef in batches, about 3 minutes per side, without crowding the pot, then set aside.
-
Add the remaining oil, onion, and celery to the pot and cook until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
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Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, and simmer until reduced by half.
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Return the beef to the pot along with the stock, Worcestershire, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook in a 325°F oven until the beef is just short of tender, about 1½ hours.
-
Stir in the carrots and potatoes, cover, and continue cooking until the vegetables and beef are both fork-tender, about 45 minutes more.
-
Stir in the peas and cook until bright green and heated through, about 5 minutes.
-
Discard the bay leaves and thyme stems, taste and adjust the salt, and finish with parsley.
Notes
The flour dredge before searing is what separates a stew from a pot roast with extra liquid — it browns into the fond and thickens the broth as it simmers, so there’s no separate roux to whisk in later. Sear the beef hard and in batches; a crowded pot steams the meat instead of browning it, and that fond is most of the flavor in the finished broth.
This keeps well and improves overnight in the fridge — reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of stock if the gravy’s tightened up too much.