ISO Beef stew recipe

[FryBoy]

Carbonade Flamande (Beef Stew with Beer & Onions)

I love stews, or at least good ones. This is my current favorite:

CARBONADE FLAMANDE​

Don’t let all the directions scare you — this delicious stew is easy to make, although it takes about an hour to put together and 2½ hours to cook. Serve it with a hearty red wine and a simple vegetable, such as steamed carrots or broccoli; the bread replaces the potatoes usually served with stews.​

3 Large Onions

2 Cloves Garlic
3 Tablespoons Butter, Divided
2 Pounds Boneless Stewing Beef
½ Cup Flour, Divided
Salt & Pepper
½ Pint English Brown Ale (Newcastle, Samuel Smith, Bass, Etc.)
1 Teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 14½-Ounce Can Beef Stock
Water as Needed
2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Powdered Thyme
4 Thick Slices of French Bread
Dijon Mustard​

1. Peel onions, cut in half from end to end, thinly slice, and set aside.

2. Crush or finely chop garlic and set aside (separate from onions).

3. Cut meat across the grain into strips about 1 inch wide, 3 inches long, ½ inch thick, trimming off fat.

4. Melt 1½ Tablespoons of butter in a large skillet or a heavy, deep, pan with tight-fitting lid; if using a skillet, have a 5 to 6 quart covered casserole dish ready.

5. Add onions to butter and cook over medium heat until browned, about 30 minutes.

6. Add garlic and brown sugar when onions are nearly done, stir and cook for two minutes.

7. Remove the onion mixture from pan, put in bowl and set aside (put in casserole dish if using).

8. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of flour, then put the rest in a plastic bag and add a little salt and pepper; put about 1/3 of the beef slices in the bag and shake to coat with flour.

9. Add 1/3 of the remaining butter to pan.

10. Add the floured beef slices to pan and brown on all sides, then remove and add to onions; repeat steps 8, 9, and 10 with remaining flour, meat, and butter until all of the meat has been browned.

11. Return all of the onion mixture and browned meat to the pan.

12. Blend in the reserved 2 Tablespoons of seasoned flour and stir well.

13. Add the ale and vinegar and stir.​

14. Add the stock and just enough water to barely cover meat and onions and stir.​

15. Add 1 Teaspoon of salt, ½ Teaspoon of pepper, and the fresh herbs or powdered thyme, and stir well, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and stirring them into the mixture.​

16. Cover pan tightly, or transfer meat mixture to casserole dish and cover it tightly; cook in oven, preheated to 300 degrees, for 2½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes.​

17. When meat is nearly done, spread mustard liberally on slices of French bread.​

18. Remove lid and lay the bread on top of the meat, mustard side down, and cook uncovered until the bread is brown and crisp.​

19. Serve with toasted bread on top of meat, mustard side down.​

 

[Robo410]

tomato puree and a big pinch or marjoram is great. the recipe for carbonade above is a fine Belgian stew. really good. add red wine and thyme , pearl onions and mushrooms for a beef burgundy type stew.

 

[lindatooo]

I marinate my beef overnight in a bottle of red wine. Well, I use a ziplock ....

I was wondering how you got it into the bottle!

 

[Queequeg]

I have a awesome beef stew, thats a bit different from your heavy stodegy oven cooked type, better for the warmer months

1 onion (roughly chopped)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried oregano
half a sweet squash (peeled and cubed into large chuncks)
1 leek 9cut into rounds 1 cm thick)
2 carrots (cut into rounds 1cm thick)
1 lb of braising steak (chuck or simarliar cut into suitable sized chunks)
Paprika
1 tsp of dried crushed chillies
1 lb of new potatoes
1 corn of the cob (sliced of the cob)
1 pint of chicken stock
handfull of chopped fresh parsley
salt and peper to season

1: Coat the beef heavily in paprika and season with black pepper.
2: Heat a little vegtable oil in a medium sized stewing pot on the hob to a medium-high heat.
3: Seal the meat in small batches at a time, keep turing to make sure the paprika does overly blacken. set the beef aside.
4: Add addtional oil as nessary and soften the onion on a medium heat. Do not caramelise. Strir in the bay leaf and oregano. cook for 5 mins.
5: Add the leaks, corn and carrots cook for a 5 further minutes.
6: Add the stock and return the beef bring to the boil and simmer on a low heat with the lid on for 1hr (longer if possible) Check seasoning at this stage and salt as nesessary.
7:Add the potatoes, chillie and squash and cook for a further 30 mins.
8: check potatoes are cooked, reseason if required, added the parsley and serve

Serves 3-4

 

[biev]

JMediger, dude I owe you! That has to be the best stew I've ever eaten! I've been eating the leftovers for the past four days and I'm wishing I had made more ;o) I like it because the beef gets very tender while the vegetables keep their flavor. My mom used to make this stew where every piece tasted the same, blech.

I didn't follow the quantities because it looked like it would feed an army. I also added cabbage at the end, only for two minutes (otherwise everything starts to taste like cabbage, and I'm not too big on the smell either). Anyway, thanks for sharing the recipe!

 

[kimbaby]

I use my cream of mushroom recipe,
which is stew meat
1 large can cream of mushroom soup + 2 cans water
2 envelopes of onion soup mix
carrots/onions/celery/potatoes
dash of wostershire sauce
salt pepper
cook slowly for 3-4 hours

 

[Brooksy]

Kimbaby,

How much beef do you generally use in your recipe?
and
How big are your Crm of Mush Cans? 13 ozs?

 

[Restless N8tiv]

Has anyone cooked beef stew using a croc pot? I have one and I'm thinking of using it this time around. I want to try one of the recipe that is listed on this thread but using the croc pot. Any thoughts, ideas, comments, recommendations?

Mahalo for your input.

A hui hou,
Restless

 

[Andy M.]

A slow cooker will do a fine job on stew.

 

[Hades]

FryBoy's recipe sure brings back some happy childhood memories As does the boef bourguignon. Both are concidered "belgian" stews here by the way (most of Belgium was under bourgundian rule for a few centuries). In fact red wine vs beer can yield an interesting dinner debate.
Secondly, we obviously do not use English Ale here. We use local dobbel or trippel abbey beer. Though I must admit that a decent ale will do just fine. That's also what we drink with it btw.
Something you might want to try in just about any stew is adding a few stems of celery. Not chopped, just halved across so you can scoop them back out. Gives a nice added flavour. Also, try serving your beefstew with parsnips.

 

[Chopstix]

For a change, try Korean Beef Stew. It's beef short ribs stewed in ginger, garlic, soy sauce, onion, sugar and garnished with sesame oil, sesame seeds and chopped leeks. One of my favorites.

 

[ChefJune]

You're right - traditional beef stew IS blah and has ALWAYS been blah, since I had to eat it a couple of times a month as a kid. Never liked the stuff.

??????? Too bad you didn't grow up in my mom's house. Her beef stew was just one of many fabulous meals we enjoyed on a daily basis.

and here, for the record are a couple of French beef stews that I make frequently to rave reviews from family and friends... Stews all have a long list of ingredients, but they are "basic" ones, that add to the end flavor, and they all take a long time to produce, but most of that time does not require your attention.

From Bourgogne...

Boeuf Bourguignon
(Hearty Beef Stew in Red Wine with Onions and Mushrooms)
On a nippy Autumn evening, there are few dishes as satisfying—or as romantic—as a hearty Boeuf Bourguignon. This is an essential dish to have in your repertoire because, besides being heart-warming and delicious, it benefits from being prepared in advance and reheated; AND leftovers freeze well.


6 servings
3 pounds lean stew beef (chuck, round), cut in 1-1/2-inch cubes
3 cups (1 bottle) hearty red wine (Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhône are flavorful and not too costly)
4 tablespoons Cognac
1 bouquet garni (1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf, 10 parsley stems)
6 black peppercorns
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 large onions
3 large carrots
½ pound slab bacon (or pancetta)
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
sea salt, to taste
1 garlic clove
30 pearl onions (fresh—not from a bottle)
¼ pound fresh mushroom caps

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine beef cubes with the wine, 3 tablespoons Cognac, the bouquet garni, a few peppercorns and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Set aside to marinate for at least 2 hours, but not overnight.
2. Peel and chop the onions and carrots. Remove rind from the bacon and cut the meat into 1-inch pieces. Blanch bacon in boiling water for several seconds. Drain and pat dry.
3. Remove beef from the marinade with a slotted spoon and pat dry. (If the meat is not dry, it will not brown.) Reserve the marinade.
4. Heat a large casserole or Dutch oven and film it with oil. Sauté the bacon until it is lightly browned. Remove bacon from the pan and set aside to drain on paper towels. Leave any bacon fat in the pan.
5. Add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in it, and when it is very hot add the beef to the pan (in 2 batches, if necessary) and sear on all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the beef from the pan.
6. Add the chopped onions and carrots to the pan and sauté the mixture until onions become translucent. Return the beef and bacon to the pan. Add the marinade and bouquet garni to the vegetables and bring to a boil. Add garlic (unpeeled, but lightly crushed). Cover and simmer over low heat until beef is tender—about 2 ½ hours—and the sauce is a rich, dark brown.
7. Wipe the mushroom caps with a piece of paper towel. Peel the pearl onions, and cut an “x” in the root end of each with a small, sharp knife. Melt the remaining butter in another skillet. Add the onions and mushrooms and sauté quickly over medium high heat without browning. Set aside.
8. When the beef has finished cooking, remove it and the bacon from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon. Strain the liquid through a sieve or strainer. Press to get all the juices out of the vegetables you will be discarding. Return the sauce to the pan with the beef and bacon. (If the sauce seems too thin, mix 2 teaspoon potato starch with ¼ cup of the cool sauce before returning to the pan.) Add the mushrooms, pearl onions and the remaining Cognac. Warm the stew until it is completely heated through.

Serve with steamed new potatoes and a vigorous red wine, such as a Corton, Pommard or a Carneros Pinot Noir from California.

and from Provence:
Beef Stew, Provençal Style
The French call this a “Daube,” but every time I eat “Daube” in France, I think I¹m eating beef stew! A great beef stew is a valuable addition to any cook¹s repertoire. For most of the people I know, it conjures up happy thoughts of a nurturing family. Besides, it tastes good, and is easy to prepare ahead of time. In fact, it really does taste better the next day. The orange makes it particularly Provençal.
8 servings
4 ½ pounds trimmed lean beef chuck, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
4 carrots, sliced
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 sprig of parsley
3 bay leaves
¼ cup cognac (or marc de Provence)
1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 bottle good dry red wine
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh cèpes, portobellos or cultivated mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon sea salt
grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine the meat with the carrots, onions, garlic, parsley, celery, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, cognac, red wine and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Tie the peppercorns and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth and add them to the bowl. Toss well. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, stirring once or twice.
2. Let the meat and vegetables return to room temperature. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the marinade, drain well and pat dry on paper towels. Set the vegetables aside. Transfer the liquid and the cheesecloth bag to a large flameproof casserole and boil for 5 minutes over moderately high heat to reduce slightly. Remove from the heat.


3. In a large heavy skillet, melt the butter in the remaining ¼ cup oil over high heat. When the foam subsides, add half the meat and sauté, tossing, until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Remove meat to the liquid in the casserole with a slotted spoon, and repeat with the remaining meat.


4. In the same skillet, sauté the reserved vegetables until browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the casserole. Add the mushrooms to the skillet, and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside.


5. Stir the tomato paste into the casserole and bring to a simmer, skimming occasionally, until the meat is very tender (3 ½ to 4 hours). Stir in the salt and pepper, the reserved mushrooms and the orange zest and juice. Remove and discard the cheesecloth bag.

Teacher¹s Tips: 1. This recipe may be prepared 2 to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving!
2. Serve with the same wine used in cooking—a substantial red.

 

[Corkscrew]

Chef June,

Those both look fantastic! Thanks.

 

[Dave Hutchins]

I never buy stew meat I buy a chuck roast trim out the fat and then cube it up for stew.. Why pay the butcher to cut up your meat when it only takes a few minutes. Second with all of the good ideas try adding some root veggies like turnip, rutabaggas, parsnips Jicama all add a demension to stew you don't find every day, add a few fresh green peas for garnish chopped parsley

 

[SOUTHERNCOOK1]

I use London Broil in my beef stew......yummy!

 

[Andy M.]

I don't care for potatoes cook in a stew or pot roast so I make them without potatoes and serve them over mashed potatoes. It gives all that gravy a purpose in life.

 

[phu]

For a ridiculously simple beef stew, I like to mix a family size can of Cream of Mushroom, a normal size can of Cream of Chicken (both undiluted), a whole bunch of pressed garlic and about a pound and a half of chuck roast (trimmed but not cut) and let the whole thing go in the crockpot on low heat overnight. Easy, cheap and excellent!

 

[Jeff G.]

How our family makes it..

Drop your beef into water, boil the heck out of it until it is falling apart. Remove as much of the fat from the meat you can. Separate the meat into bite sized chunks.
Cut up potatoes, carrots, celery into bite sized pieces, drop into the broth with the meat. Add onions, I usually cut into 8th's. Bring that up to a boil then simmer until the vegetables are tender. Mix up some corn starch with water, add to the mixture along with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes(optional). Allow that to come up to boil and it will thicken into a nice stew..

 

[Adillo303]

My stew is fairlu similar to several in here. One thing that I do a bit different is to use a 32 oz or so bottle of V8 Low Sodium for most of my liquid. That goves me a lot of vegetable flavor.

Stew beef - 2 1/2 to 3#
Red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces.
bag of baby carrots.
Onion, cut in half then cut the resulting half into eithths,'
Couple bay leaves.
Large can of chunky tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
Adobo

Standard stuff from there - Brown the beef put 4 or 5 cloves of garlic in the oil when you are browning the beef.

Add V8 and tomatoes and onion

Simmer 2 - 3 hours unitl very tender.

40 minutes before it is done add the potatoes and carrots