Description
A hearty and flavorful Red Wine Beef Stew featuring tender stew meat simmered with aromatic vegetables, red wine, and herbs, thickened to a rich consistency perfect for a comforting dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat
- 2 pounds stew meat
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large sweet onion (chopped, about 2 cups)
- 4 carrots (sliced, about 3 cups)
- 2 stalks celery (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Liquids and Herbs
- 1 cup beef stock
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
Thickening Agent
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or 1 tablespoon cornstarch)
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Brown the beef: Season the stew meat with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides until nicely browned. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
- Sauté the veggies: Add the chopped onion, sliced carrots, celery, and minced garlic to the pot. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the tomato paste to coat the veggies and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom.
- Simmer the stew: Return the browned beef to the pot. Pour in the red wine and beef stock. Add the dried thyme, fresh rosemary sprig, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover the pot.
- Slow cook: Let the stew simmer gently for about 1 hour 30 minutes to allow the meat to become tender and the flavors to meld together. Avoid rushing this step for best results.
- Thicken the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour (or cornstarch) and water until smooth. Increase the heat to medium and stir this mixture into the stew. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens to your liking.
- Final seasoning: Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Remove the rosemary sprig and bay leaves before serving hot.
Notes
- For a gluten free version, use cornstarch instead of flour and ensure the broth is gluten free.
- Browning the meat thoroughly adds depth to the stew’s flavor.
- Simmering the stew slowly allows the meat to become tender and the flavors to develop fully.
- Use a good quality dry red wine to enhance the richness of the stew.
- The stew can be made a day ahead; flavors improve after resting overnight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
