Sunday Best Beef Stew has tender cubes of beef in a rich gravy with onions, potatoes, carrots, and celery. It's the perfect comfort food for cold dreary days.
1Large Sweet Yellow OnionPeeled, Cut in Half and each Half Cut into 6 Wedges
1TablespoonBrown Sugar
2TablespoonTomato Paste
1TablespoonWorcestershire Sauce
1Bay Leaf
1QuartBeef StockNo Salt Added or Low Sodium
½TeaspoonBlack PepperFreshly Ground
3CupsCarrotsPeeled and Cut in 1” Chunks
3CupsSmall Golden or Red PotatoesQuartered
1 ½CupsCelery Cut in 1” Chunks
Instructions
Dry and Dredge the Beef. Remove the beef from the packaging and dry well with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Drying the meat is essential to get good caramelization during the searing of the meat. Sprinkle meat with salt and Wondra Flour, coating all sides. Shake off excess flour.
Brown the Beef and Onion. In a large Dutch oven heat the safflower oil over medium heat. When oil is shimmering add cubes of dredged beef in batches, turning and browning until all sides are a rich golden brown. Remove the beef from the Dutch oven and add onion wedges. Cook the onion until slightly brown and translucent.
¼ Cup Safflower Oil, 1 Large Sweet Yellow Onion
Make the Gravy Base. Add brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf. Stir well and add beef stock. Return the browned beef to the Dutch oven, cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a slow simmer. Cook for 2 hours. The stock should be reduced approximately by half. Taste and add additional salt, if needed. Add finely ground black pepper, if desired.
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar, 2 Tablespoon Tomato Paste, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, 1 Bay Leaf, 1 Quart Beef Stock, ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Add the Vegetables. Add the carrots and simmer for 30 minutes. Next, add the potatoes and simmer for another 15 minutes. Lastly, add the celery and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender.It is very important to add the vegetables in stages. The carrots take the longest to cook and the celery the least. By adding them in stages you get the best flavor of each veggie.
3 Cups Carrots, 3 Cups Small Golden or Red Potatoes, 1 ½ Cups Celery
Serve. Remove the bay leaf, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Substitutions & VariationsAdd Red Wine. Add 1 cup of good red wine to the pan after cooking the onion. Red wine adds wonderful flavor and it has some acidity that helps make the meat tender.Always use a wine you like to drink and don't use "cooking wine". Good choices are single varietals or blended wines of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec, zinfandel, and of course Bordeaux.Add Fresh Thyme. Thyme goes very well with beef and with bay leaves. If thyme is an herb you like add a small bundle of fresh thyme when you add the bay leaf.Substitute Balsamic Vinegar. Instead of using brown sugar, you can substitute balsamic vinegar. It will add both sweetness and acidity to the stew.EquipmentYou can use any large Dutch oven for this recipe. Metal pots of stainless steel, cast iron, and enameled cast iron are good choices as long as the pot has tall sides and a lid.However, do not use cast iron if you add wine to the stew. Wine simmered for a long time in cast iron that is not enameled may remove the seasoning from the pot.Make-Ahead & StorageActually, this Sunday Best Beef Stew is better the day after you make it, when all of the ingredients have had time to blend. So, you can make it in advance.It will also keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.