Favorite beef stew recipe?

[maslex]

Cold weather is starting to creep in over here and I'd like to make a nice, hearty beef stew this week, in the crock pot.

I've made it twice in the 22 yrs we've lived together. I love it, hubby not so much but he'll choke it down. The times that I did cook it though, I think I bought the wrong kind of meat. I remember the meat being really small (think the size of your fingernail) It said stew meat, but I don't know. Granted this was YEARS ago and I had no idea on cooking back then.

I'm wondering if I should get something already cut up that's labeled stew meat or should I get like a roast or something and cut it up myself?

What's your favorite beef to get?

What's your favorite beef stew recipe?

I like my beef stew more "beefy" tasting and not "tomato-y" tasting. My neighbor makes hers with tomato juice and I just don't care for it.

Any help?

 

[ronandannette]

I always cut up my own into nice, big chunks using whatever is well-priced that week. Cross-rib or blade steak is good. (Some of your cuts of beef are named differently than here in Canada - I think you might call it "chuck").

 

[Happy Snowman]

This is the Irish Stew recipe from Penzey's. I love this. It's more of a soup consistency vs being "thick" but it's beefy tasting. I cut up the potatoes and add them to the stew vs pouring the stew over a potato.

• 1 TB. oil
• 2 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 lbs. stewing beef, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 TB. flour
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 12 large pearl onions
• 11/2 Cups beef stock (or 11/2 Cups water + 2 tsp. BEEF SOUP BASE)
• 1 bottle dark stout beer (Deborah uses Guinness)
• 2 TB. dark brown sugar
• 2 TB. red wine vinegar
• 1 TB. BOUQUET GARNI
• 1/2-1 tsp. salt, to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. PENZEYS FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER, to taste
• 6-8 cooked small red potatoes for serving, if desired





In an ovenproof pot, heat the oil. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon to drain on paper toweling. Do not discard the bacon drippings. Return the pot with the drippings to the heat. Add the beef and brown evenly; remove the beef and set aside. Add the chopped onion and flour to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes; be careful not to let it burn. Return the beef and bacon to the pot and add the rest of the ingredients except the potatoes, if using. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 90 minutes. Taste and add more seasonings if desired. Add a potato to each diner's bowl and ladle stew over it.

Prep. time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 1 hr. 45 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Nutritional Information:
Servings 8; Serving Size 1 1/2 cups (398g); Calories 360; Calories from fat 100; Total fat 11g; Cholesterol 70mg; Sodium 470mg; Carbohydrate 32g; Dietary Fiber 3g.

 

[Skywalker]

The beef I buy is labeled "stew meat" and they are usually pretty large chunks.
This is the recipe I use:

Toss the beef lightly with flour, salt and pepper
Brown beef and one chopped onion in olive oil.
Transfer to large pot.
Add one can of beef broth and then two cans of water
Bring to a boil and simmer for 90 minutes
After 90 minutes add a few each of chopped potatoes, carrots, and celery and simmer for another 25 minutes.
Add one cup of frozen peas, simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve with bread for dipping.

I also add spices but that always varies. Salt, pepper, garlic, sometimes red wine...I always try different combinations of what is in my spice cupboard lol. To be honest the prepackaged stew meat spice that you can buy tastes really good and sometimes I use that instead of my own spices.

 

[Jedana]

Cold weather is starting to creep in over here and I'd like to make a nice, hearty beef stew this week, in the crock pot.

I've made it twice in the 22 yrs we've lived together. I love it, hubby not so much but he'll choke it down. The times that I did cook it though, I think I bought the wrong kind of meat. I remember the meat being really small (think the size of your fingernail) It said stew meat, but I don't know. Granted this was YEARS ago and I had no idea on cooking back then.

I'm wondering if I should get something already cut up that's labeled stew meat or should I get like a roast or something and cut it up myself?

What's your favorite beef to get?

What's your favorite beef stew recipe?

I like my beef stew more "beefy" tasting and not "tomato-y" tasting. My neighbor makes hers with tomato juice and I just don't care for it.

Any help?

I always go with which one is cheaper--precut or large roast. I usually get a chuck type roast, or again, the beef stew meat (depending on prices). I like the meat to be in chunks---not bitesize, but maybe 2-3 bites.

Stew 1. Brown the meat all over in a little oil in skillet. Toss it in the crockpot. Take a little bit of water and get all the good brown bits up out of the skillet, and put it in the crockpot. Add a little water, beef base and a jar of salsa. A couple of diced onions and a good spoonful of garlic. Bay leaves, some rosemary, salt and pepper. A good splash of red wine vinegar. (Add more water if necessary, but the meat releases juices and I try not to make it too thin) Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Add in diced carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook 3 hours. Add chopped celery, frozen peas or green beans and corn. Cover, cook 2 hours.


Stew 2. Brown the meat all over in a little oil in skillet. Toss it in the crockpot. Take a little bit of water and get all the good brown bits up out of the skillet, and put it in the crockpot. Add just a little bit of water, beef base and a jar of salsa. A couple of diced onions and a good spoonful of garlic. Bay leaves, some rosemary, salt and pepper. A bottle of beer (like Amber Bock for this and chili too). (Add more water if necessary, but the meat releases juices and I try not to make it too thin) Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Add in diced carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook 3 hours. Add chopped celery, frozen peas or green beans and corn. Cover, cook 2 hours.


The only difference in the two is one has vinegar and the other beer. Depends on if I have beer to cook with, and if I'm cooking for other people.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The beef I buy is labeled "stew meat" and they are usually pretty large chunks.
This is the recipe I use:

Toss the beef lightly with flour, salt and pepper
Brown beef and one chopped onion in olive oil.
Transfer to large pot.
Add one can of beef broth and then two cans of water
Bring to a boil and simmer for 90 minutes
After 90 minutes add a few each of chopped potatoes, carrots, and celery and simmer for another 25 minutes.
Add one cup of frozen peas, simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve with bread for dipping.

I also add spices but that always varies. Salt, pepper, garlic, sometimes red wine...I always try different combinations of what is in my spice cupboard lol. To be honest the prepackaged stew meat spice that you can buy tastes really good and sometimes I use that instead of my own spices.

This is almost exactly how I make it, too.

People outside of New England might not be familiar with this cut, but steak tips are goood to use if you can find them on sale. They come out nice and tender in a stew. I will also use stew beef but steak tips are preferable because they're not as gristly.

 

[sunshinehighway]

I had Guinness stew in Dublin and I'm totally obsessed with it now.
This has no potatoes but it was served over mashed potatoes. You can always add potatoes if you want.



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds lean stewing beef, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons each: tomato paste, beef bouillon
2 cups carrots, cut in chunks
1 cup celery, cut in chunks
1/2 pound button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 1/4 cups Guinness stout, about 1 bottle

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy pot; season meat with the salt and pepper to taste. Brown meat, in batches, on all sides; return all the meat to the pot. Add water to just cover meat; cover pot. Simmer until meat is tender, 1-2 hours; do not boil. Skim off any foam.

2. Add onions, garlic, tomato paste and beef bouillon; heat to a boil. Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, thyme and Guinness; simmer 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The stew may be thickened with a flour-oil roux if desired.)

 

[tasha99]

I usually buy a chuck roast and cut it up myself so I can have better control over piece size, and also so that I know I don't have a different mix of cuts in the stew that would cook differently. My favorites are beef bourguinon (Julia Child's recipe) and carbonnade (belgian stew made with onions and beer).

Not quite a stew, but I adore this pot roast made by Anne Burrell. Jerusalem artichokes are a root vegetable. I've never been able to find them, so I substitute with turnips or rutabaga (just reading the reviews, a lot of people used artichoke hearts, which wouldn't even be close). I love the orange undertones and use of star anise in it--very flavorful and different, but it does have tomato paste.)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/pot-roast-2-recipe.html

 

[stargazer2892]

My beef stew is pretty basic with a few twists. However I am a horrible recipie writer since I don't mesure anything. As far at the meat goes I use whatever is on sale. Because we use Gnocchi insted of regular potatoes we put them in towards the end and they will soak up a decent amount of liqud so during cooking it needs to be more soupy. As with any recipie if you like more carrots add more carrots, or if you don't like spice don't add the red pepper.

About a pound of beef chunks
Mirepoix cut into large pieces ( peeled carrots, celery, onion)
Portabello mushrooms cleaned and cut into chunks
Bacon-cubed
Gnocchi
Worstcheister Sauce
Half a can on tomato paste (its not enough to taste it)
UNSALTED beef stock- the unsalted part is very important since its best to salt & pepper everything as you go.
two bottles of dark beer
thyme
rosemary
garlic-minced
red pepper flakes
Small amount of flour
Salt and Pepper.

Heat your soup pot with some oil and throw the carrots and celery in, and cook just until soft, meanwhile Cut the steaks down to more manageable spoon sizes, season with salt and pepper, dredge them in the flour. Add more oil so the meat wont stick and toss them into the pan with the Celery and Carrots, about half way through add the onion, mushrooms,and bacon, cook for about 5 minutes, then add the tomato paste, cook for another 2-3 minutes and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Once the garlic is cooked deglaze with the beers, add about half the box of stock, Worcestershire sauce, and the herbs. Cover and gently simmer for at least 4 hours. About 20 minutes before you want to eat add the gnocchi and it will soak up quite a bit of liquid to help thicken the stew.If you want to throw some peas in there I would add them about the same time.

 

[runsandjumps]

Beef Stew with dumplings.

One package stew meat or whatever cut you prefer.
Brown beef cut in small chunks. No need to add oil
Boil water with salt pepper and 1 whole chopped onion. Add 2 carrots chopped.
Peel and cut several russet potatoes. Toss in.
Throw in browned meat
Season water with salt and pepper to taste.
Slow boil until potatoes cook.
Bisquick mix- dumpling recipe (bisquick mix with milk to create sticky dough) 1 cup
Of dumplings is enough for us.
Spoonfuls of mix into pot. Reduce heat to just above low to slow the boil. Put lid on, take off 10 minutes later and turn off heat.

Stir breaking up any large dumplings.

Done

 

[HeatherC]

For an easy, tasty stew I actually use the McCormick's Seasoning Packet...in the Crockpot.

This week I actually used the McCormicks POT ROAST packet and it turned out awesome. Kids loved it and ate it two days in a row. Wasn't as salty as the stew seasoning and tasted nice and beefy.

I used 3lbs of cut up "CHUCK"... think it makes the best stews and pot roast because it is marbled with some fat.

Just cut up a ton of veggies...celery, onions, potatoes,can of corn, etc. Dump it all in crockpot...put meat on top.....mix seasoning packet with a little water or even beef broth and pour over it. Cook all day.

Actuallt even tastes better if you make it two days ahead of time.

Don't even have to brown the meat...

Kind of foolproof and ridiculously easy so that I can't even call it a "recipe"

 

[Pamlur]

I love the McCormick seasoning packets, too, tossed in the crockpot just like you do it.! Haven't tried the pot roast seasoning for stew yet, but will soon.

 

[NFLDERS]

This is the Irish Stew recipe from Penzey's. I love this. It's more of a soup consistency vs being "thick" but it's beefy tasting. I cut up the potatoes and add them to the stew vs pouring the stew over a potato.

• 1 TB. oil
• 2 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 lbs. stewing beef, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 TB. flour
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 12 large pearl onions
• 11/2 Cups beef stock (or 11/2 Cups water + 2 tsp. BEEF SOUP BASE)
• 1 bottle dark stout beer (Deborah uses Guinness)
• 2 TB. dark brown sugar
• 2 TB. red wine vinegar
• 1 TB. BOUQUET GARNI
• 1/2-1 tsp. salt, to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. PENZEYS FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER, to taste
• 6-8 cooked small red potatoes for serving, if desired





In an ovenproof pot, heat the oil. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon to drain on paper toweling. Do not discard the bacon drippings. Return the pot with the drippings to the heat. Add the beef and brown evenly; remove the beef and set aside. Add the chopped onion and flour to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes; be careful not to let it burn. Return the beef and bacon to the pot and add the rest of the ingredients except the potatoes, if using. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 90 minutes. Taste and add more seasonings if desired. Add a potato to each diner's bowl and ladle stew over it.

Prep. time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 1 hr. 45 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Nutritional Information:
Servings 8; Serving Size 1 1/2 cups (398g); Calories 360; Calories from fat 100; Total fat 11g; Cholesterol 70mg; Sodium 470mg; Carbohydrate 32g;
Dietary Fiber 3g.

This!
-Beer
+Turnip (just a bit not to over power) and tomato paste in a Crock pot.

 

[Forum Jumper]

I cut up a round steak. Throw the pieces into a fry pan with a little olive oil and cut up onion, frying until just browned on the outside. Toss the whole thing into a crock pot, add potatoes, carrots, and celery onto the beef. Cook it until the potatoes and carrots are done/soft. I don't add seasoning. Each person in our family adds whatever seasoning they want once it is dished up onto their plate.

 

[Wishing on a star]

what is called 'Stew Meat' here would usually be very low quality, chewy, meat that is leftover from the butcher.

I would buy a nice cut of meat or roast. The amount of fat would not be a problem. I would want it marbled.

Usually, I can make a beef stew/soup more quickly, without stewing a roast, buy buying the highest quality ground steak. Ground Round, Ground Chuck...

I make a pretty traditional beef stew...
Start boiling peeled sliced
carrots,
celery,
and lastly the onion, in some water or broth...
and peeled cubed potatoes.

Add the cooked meat and juices, either a roast or some cooked ground beef. (DO NOT break up the beef and over-brown... You are not wanting fine, rubbery, taco type meat.... Just cook in large slabs paked into a skillet, until almost done, with plenty of salt and pepper....)

When this begins to simmer (NEVER BOIL)
Add some canned tomato. Maybe one can... Not enough to make it 'italian'...
A little garlic powder... Not enough to make it 'italian'.
Some paprika,
More salt if needed.

When it is all done, enjoy with hot cornbread, or hot Mary B's yeast rolls.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Well thanks to this thread we enjoyed a hearty chicken stew with dumplings today and it was mighty good! Perfect day for it, too, in the midst of a NorEaster with snow on the ground outside! We used our basic recipe and added mushrooms and pearl onions, too. Runsandjumps, thanks for the dumpling idea. Anyone else make a stew today?

 

[jsmith]

I just discovered this
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-caribbean-beef-stew.html
In the October issue of Food Network Magazine. Its very different that what you think of as beef stew-it has sweet potatoes and red pepper, season with allspice ginger and lime but its really yummy and my anti stew husband loved it.