ISO Beef stew recipe

[jaim]

Does anyone have a good Beef Stew recipe? The one I have is off one of the recipe cards you get in the mail sometimes.. it's okay, but it seems like it's missing something. . it's kind of blah??

Jaim

[Alix]

Try adding a couple tbsp of tomato paste or a 1/3 cup of a nice smokey BBQ sauce to give it some pizzazz. A few chile flakes will perk it up too.

[JMediger]

I have a recipe for Burgundy Beef Stew that is delicious (at least my family thinks so) and no harder or more time consuming than the normal stews out there ...

3 Lbs Stew Meat
2 Cups Beef Broth
1 1/2 C. Burgundy Wine (NOTE: I use whatever Red we're currently drinking and it tastes the same and sometimes better!)
2 Tbl Tomato Paste
6 Cloves Garlic - Crushed and rough chopped (more or less depending on your garlic tastes)
4 Bay Leaves
1 tsp Thyme
2 LB Red Potatoes - Scrubbed and quartered if larger
1 LB Carrots - Cut small or just use baby carrots
8 - 10 Small Boiling Onions or 1 large cut to 1/8ths and divided
1/2 LB Mushrooms - Halved

In large dutch oven, brown meat in 2 or 3 batches, add oil (about 1/2 TBL) with each batch. When last batch is browned and removed, sprinkle 1/3 C flour over the drippings and wisk for 1 minute (you will have a very dry roux at this point). In a mixing bowl, combine the beef broth, wine and tomato paste. Wisk into roux till blended. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, beef and salt to taste. Cover tightly and simmer 1 3/4 hours OR until the meat is tender (at this point, I have also moved it to a slow cooker and let it sit all day and had just as yummy of results. Also at this point, you can freeze part of the stew for another time - just reduce the amount of vegetables you are about to add). Add potatoes, carrots and onions, cover and continue to cook for 45 minutes OR until the vegetables are tender. Add in mushrooms and simmer, uncovered, for 10 more minutes.

Enjoy!
:)

[QSis]

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.

But I LOVE Beef Bourgignon. Try that. I serve this over wide egg noodles.

Or make your stew recipe and substitute lamb - I LOVE lamb stew.

Maybe you could substitute butternut squash or sweet potatoes for white potatoes (both have more flavor and are better for you). And/or add spinach. Mmmmm!

If you want to go to the trouble of making homemade beef stock from roasted bones, that might help. But, seriously, I wouldn't waste a good beef stock on beef stew.

Here's the Bourgignon recipe I made last. Great! And a good way to use cuts of beef that are always on sale but that I consider no good for much of anything else.

Lee

Title: BEOUF BOURGUIGNON (RED WINE BEEF STEW)
5 servings
2 lb Beef rolled rump roast*
1/4 c All-purpose flour
2 tb Olive oil
2 tb Vegetable oil
1 Clove garlic
1 1/4 c Dry red wine
1 1/2 c Water
1/2 Small bay leaf
1 1/4 ts Salt
2 Sprigs parsley
3 Slices bacon,diced
18 Small white onions
3 tb Tomato paste
1/2 ts Dried thyme leaves
1/4 ts Ground pepper
2 tb Butter or margarine
18 Small mushroom caps

Heat oven to 325'.
Coat beef cubes with flour. Heat oil in Dutch oven. Brown beef cubes in hot oil. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Remove garlic and fat. Add wine and enough water to just cover the meat. Stir in bay leaf, salt and parsley. Cover and bake 2 hours.

Fry bacon just until lump. Add onions; cook until light brown. Stir bacon and onions into beef cube mixture. Cover and bake until beef cubes are tender, about 40 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, thyme and pepper. Cover and bake 10 minutes.
Melt butter in 6-inch skillet. Cook and stir
mushrooms in butter until tender; arrange on top.

*NOTE: Beef bottom round or boneless chuck eye can be substituted for the beef rolled rump roast.

[tancowgirl2000]

The ONLY thing that a stew needs....ok besides all the fixin's is the Bay Leaf!!! I can NOT make a stew without it!

[Brooksy]

Originally Posted by tancowgirl2000

The ONLY thing that a stew needs....ok besides all the fixin's is the Bay Leaf!!! I can NOT make a stew without it!

And don't forget the Worstershire Sauce.

Some really nice recipes here. Copied & pasted.

There's nothing like a good "Beef Stoo"

Oh, I almost forgot - Dumplings go extra well too.

[KAYLINDA]

We always added some kind of tomatoes...diced, whole, whatever...and near the end of cooking we added cabbage!

[Constance]

You all inspired me to write down my beef stew recipe.
Here it is:

Mamma Connie’s Beef Stew

3-4 lb. chuck roast (or sirloin tip, or venison), chunked
S&P
Olive oil
2 cans of beef broth or water
2 bay leaves
½ tsp thyme
1 large onion, sliced into thin rings
3-4 cloves garlic, minced (I like more)
8 ozs fresh mushrooms, sliced
5-6 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
small bag of baby carrots
hearts of celery, including leaves, chopped, 1 cup
1 can of Italian (roma) green beans, drained
1-2 small cans tomato sauce
4 tbls flour

Put enough oil in a heavy pot to coat the bottom, and turn heat on high. Salt & pepper meat chunks, and sear until meat is almost burnt on the outside. (Should be smoking…this is what makes the good gravy.)
Add broth or water and deglaze pan. Reduce heat, add bay leaves and thyme, cover and let simmer until meat is beginning to get tender.
In the meantime, sauté onions and mushrooms in skillet until caramelized. Add chopped garlic at the last minute. Add to meat along with the celery, potatoes, carrots and green beans. Stir in tomato sauce. Let simmer until vegetables are tender. Make a slurry of flour and water, stir into stew, and let simmer until thickened. Adjust seasoning.

You can add other vegies...corn, lima beans, frozen peas, butter beans, etc... whatever you like.

Serve with crusty bread to mop up the gravy!

[jaim]

Thank you soo much guys!! You guys always come through with great advice and stuff!! I can't wait to try those recipes out!

[Phil]

Originally Posted by KAYLINDA

We always added some kind of tomatoes...diced, whole, whatever...and near the end of cooking we added cabbage!

My mother always added a little cabbage and tomatoes and tomato sauce, were always in it. We also use chicken bouillion cubes, maybe two or three. Bay leaves and garlic have to be in there. Mmm, a little wine and beef consume in the beef side of a stew. Celery, onion, potatoes, carrots. And, it's way better three days latter, don't 'ya know?