Sunday, March 13, 2011

Beef Stew, Comfort Food Done Righ

I have to admit, most of the time when I make beef stew, it's from a leftover pot roast. It's just good - and a super easy way to produce a second meal from leftovers - especially when you plan on the leftovers. It's hard to get better than that.




Hard - but not impossible. If you want beef stew from scratch, without the intervening pot roast, then I can almost guarantee you'll be spoiled. This stew is just about perfect - rich and hearty, with juicy, succulent pieces of beef and tender vegetables, all cloaked in a phenomenally flavorful gravy. This stew shares some elements with some of the world's finest classic dishes - such as Irish Lamb Stew, Beef and Guinness and Boef Bourgignon - the long slow cooking with a touch of alcohol results in amazing flavors. Sure - the pot roast version is fast and easy - and tastes good. But this way is the ultimate comfort food way.



Serve this stew with just about any type of bread, but crusty Italian or sourdough is fabulous, as are either Cheddar or Buttermilk Biscuits. And with most stews, it gets even better the second day.



Ingredients


You'll need:



•3 pounds cubed beef stew meat, or better, 3 pounds chuck roast, cut into one inch pieces

•1/2 cup flour

•2 teaspoons garlic powder

•2 teaspoons onion powder

•2 teaspoons kosher salt

•2 teaspoons black pepper

•3 tablespoons vegetable oil

•1/2 cup red wine (white will work in a pinch but red is better)

•4 cups beef broth

•1 teaspoon dried rosemary

•1 teaspoon dried parsley

•1 tablespoon tomato paste

•1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce

•4 large waxy potatoes, peeled and cubed

•4 large carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

•4 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces

•2 large onions, chopped

•2 tablespoons cornstarch

•2 tablespoons cold water

•Optionals - garnish with fresh chopped parsley, or toss in a cup of frozen peas just at the very end so they just heat through - the bright fresh flavors of both just pop.



Directions


1.Place flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl or gallon size baggie and whisk well. Add cubed stew meat or chuck roast pieces and toss to coat.

2.in a large Dutch oven, heat oil. Working in batches so as not to crowd the meat, brown beef on all sides. As each batch is done, set it aside.

3.Once all beef is browned, deglazed the pot with the red wine, stirring to scrape up the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the beef broth, rosemary, parsley, tomato paste, and worchestershire sauce.

4.Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and allow pot to simmer for one hour.

5.Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions to the pot. Stir well. In a small bowl, make a paste of the cornstarch and water. Add to the pot. Cover and simmer for one hour.





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