Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck (excess fat removed and cut into 1-inch cubes)907 g
• 1 pound waxy potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)454 g
• 2 large carrots (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)122 g
• 2 large celery ribs (chopped into 1-inch pieces)80 g
• 1 medium onion (peeled roughly chopped)150 g
• 3 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed)9 g
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste33 g
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce16 g
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (e.g. canola)27 g
• 3 cups beef stock (or broth)720 g
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (thawed)72 g
• 3 tablespoons flour22 g
• 1 bay leaf1 g
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme1 g
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano1 g
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley6 g
• Kosher salt (to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Method

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Preheat oven to 300 F.
3. Pat any excess moisture from the meat with clean paper towels. This will help achieve a nice dark brown sear on it.
4. Season the meat generously with kosher salt .
5. In a heavy, cast-iron Dutch oven or brazier, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is really hot, add the beef and brown it thoroughly on all sides. Don't overcrowd the pan. Work in batches if necessary. When a rich brown crust has developed on all sides of the beef, remove it from the pan and set it aside.
6. Lower the heat to medium, add the onions to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes or so, or until they turn slightly soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the flour to form a thin paste. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring throughout.
8. Now slowly pour in the stock, gently scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze .
9. Return the browned beef to the pot along with the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Heat on the stovetop until the liquid comes to a boil, then add the bay leaf and dried herbs, cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer the whole thing to the oven. Let the meat braise in the oven for 1 hour.
10. Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery, recover the pot and return it to the oven for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
11. Transfer the pot to the stovetop. Remove the lid and simmer for another 15 minutes or until the stew is thickened.
12. Stir in the peas, adjust seasoning with kosher salt and black pepper, and serve right away, garnished with the chopped parsley .
13. Enjoy.

Watch out for: The temptation to sear in one batch. It is the single most reported cause of a stew that tastes flat, and it costs twenty minutes to avoid.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast1134 g
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)4 g
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (divided)1 g
• 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)30 g
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)40 g
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine354 g
• 1 large yellow onion150 g
• 3 celery stalks120 g
• 2 cloves garlic6 g
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste33 g
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce16 g
• 4 large carrots244 g
• 2 parsnips
• 3/4 pound red potatoes (about 2 medium)340 g
• 1 bay leaf1 g
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme3 g
• 3 to 4 cups low-sodium beef broth840 g
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas (no need to thaw)218 g
• Fresh parsley (optional for serving)

Method

1. Cut the beef chuck roast into 1-inch cubes, removing any large, tough pieces of fat or gristle. I found it easiest to cut it into 1-inch-thick large, round slices, then strips, then cubes. Place the cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle on the flour, then toss lightly to coat.
2. Place a large, deep Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering (a drop of water should sizzle if added to the surface), add one-third to one-half of the beef. The cubes should be in a single layer and not too crowded so that they brown nicely. Let the cubes of beef cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes (resist the urge to peek!), until the bottom of the cubes develop a dark-brown crust and come away from the pan easily. Turn and continue searing until dark and golden all over, about 4 to 5 additional minutes. Transfer the seared meat to a clean bowl or plate.
3. Add another 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot, and once hot, sear the remaining beef, working in batches and ensuring that you do not overcrowd the pieces. It may take two or three batches total depending on the size of your pan. If the pan gets too dry, add a bit more oil as needed.
4. While the meat browns, dice the yellow onion and celery. Mince the garlic.
5. When the last batch of beef has been seared, transfer it to a plate and reduce the heat to medium.
6. Add the final tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and celery and cook until the onions are soft and translucent; about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.
7. While the onions sauté, peel and dice the carrots and parsnips. Scrub the potatoes and cut into a rough dice. Set aside.
8. Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
9. Increase the pan heat to medium-high heat and add the wine or beer (stand back, as it will sputter). Cook, letting the wine reduce and scraping up all of the brown bits from the pan. Continue to scrape and stir until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
10. Transfer the sautéed vegetables and any sauce from the pan to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the beef, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme.
11. Slowly pour in 3 cups of beef broth.
12. Stir to roughly combine.
13. Cover and cook on low for 6 1/2 to 8 hours or high for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, until the beef is cooked through and fall-apart tender.
14. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems and stir in the peas. If you’d like the stew thinner, add additional broth until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and add additional salt or pepper as desired. Serve hot, garnish with fresh parsley.

Watch out for: A thin sauce. Sealed vessels evaporate nothing, so the body you would have got from reduction has to come from a slurry or from potato starch instead. Two of three crockpot reports on sauce body were fine; one was thin at 4/10.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds stewing beef (trimmed and cubed)907 g
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder1 g
• ½ teaspoon salt3 g
• ½ teaspoon black pepper1 g
• 1 large onion (diced)150 g
• 3 tablespoons olive oil40 g
• 3 cups beef broth720 g
• 1 cup red wine (or 1 more cup beef broth)236 g
• ¼ cup tomato paste66 g
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (chopped)2 g
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme2 g
• 3 cups baby potatoes (cubed)450 g
• 4 large carrots (chopped)244 g
• 2 ribs celery (chopped, about 1 cup)80 g
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch24 g
• 3 tablespoons water44 g
• ¾ cup peas (defrosted)109 g

Method

1. Toss beef with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Turn a 6-quart Instant Pot to sauté and add half of the olive oil. Brown half of the beef, about 3-5 minutes, don’t stir too much so you get a nice crust. Repeat with remaining beef and set aside.
3. Add onions (and a bit more oil if needed) to the Instant Pot and cook 2-3 minutes or just until slightly softened.
4. Add beef, broth, wine, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, and vegetables except peas (ensure ingredients do not go above fill line). Secure lid and select Meat/Stew; cook on high pressure 35 minutes.
5. Once the timer beeps, allow for a natural-release for about 15 minutes. Release any remaining pressure.
6. Remove lid and turn to sauté bringing broth to a boil.
7. Create a slurry by combining cornstarch and water in a small bowl or cup.
8. Once the broth is simmering, stir in the cornstarch to reach desired consistency (you may not need all of it). Allow to simmer 2-3 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.
9. Stir in peas and serve.

Watch out for: Vegetables cooked under pressure alongside the beef. They are on a different clock and this vessel removes your ability to stagger them, so add them after.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. (or more) vegetable oil14 g
• 2 lb. beef chuck stew meat, cut into 1" cubes907 g
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped150 g
• 2 carrots, peeled, cut into rounds122 g
• 2 stalks celery, chopped80 g
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped9 g
• 1/4 c. tomato paste66 g
• 6 c. low-sodium beef broth1440 g
• 1 c. red wine236 g
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce16 g
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs2 g
• 2 bay leaves2 g
• 1 lb. baby potatoes, halved454 g
• 1 c. frozen peas145 g
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley25 g

Method

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add beef and cook, turning occasionally, until seared on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer beef to a plate.
2. Coat bottom of pot with oil if needed and heat over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrots, and celery, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant and tomato paste is darkened, about 2 minutes. Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot. Add broth, wine, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Add potatoes and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove bay leaves and thyme. Stir in peas and cook, stirring, until warmed through, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
5. Divide stew among bowls. Top with parsley.

Watch out for: Under-reducing. Without a slurry there is no rescue at the end, so the body has to be built by evaporation while there is still time to do it.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces1361 g
• 0.33333334326744 cup Italian salad dressing
• 2 cups water473 g
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained411 g
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed beef broth298 g
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce227 g
• 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules5 g
• 1 bay leaf1 g
• 1 clove garlic, minced3 g
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano1 g
• 1 teaspoon salt6 g
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper1 g
• 6 small potatoes, quartered1020 g
• 6 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces366 g
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice120 g
• 1 onion, chopped150 g
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour22 g
• 3 tablespoons cold water44 g

Method

1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat; cook and stir beef and Italian dressing in the hot pot until meat is evenly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, diced tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
2. Add potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and onion to the pot; cover and continue to simmer until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Combine flour and 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl; mix until smooth. Stir into stew and bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Watch out for: Stacking boosters. The two dissents on the umami cluster are about too much rather than too little, and soy and Worcestershire and a seasoning packet together will read as salty and generic rather than deep.