Beef Stew & Dumplings in Slow Cooker

Classic Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food with morsels of tender beef that just melt in your mouth. The vegetables and beef are infused with wonderful flavor as they slow roast in the oven.

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This hearty beef stew in red wine sauce is quite a treat and is every bit as good as its cousin, the famous beef bourguignon, and Lamb Stew. Pair it with Crusty Homemade Bread or with Mashed Potatoes. It is so satisfying!

Beef Stew Video Tutorial:

You can do this! Homemade stew takes some time to make because it needs to slow roast in the oven but it is simple to prepare. One bite and you'll realize why this beef stew is one of our most popular recipes.

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What is Beef Stew?

Beef stew is a very hearty soup with a blend of beef and humble vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onion in a richly flavored wine sauce broth. The stew is slow-cooked until the beef is tender. We add mushrooms and bacon which make this the best stew we've ever tried.

The Best Red Wine for Cooking:

The wine adds an amazing depth of flavor to this classic beef stew. For most cooking, dry red wine is best. Please don't use anything labeled "cooking wine." A good rule of thumb is that if you can't drink it, you should not cook with it. Some good red wine options include:

• Pinot Noir
• Merlot
• Cabernet Savignon
• Soft Red by Ste Chapelle (our favorite local brand)

What is Beef Stew Meat?

Beef stew meat is made up of the pieces that are cut off from random steaks that either didn't fit in the package or ends that were trimmed for aesthetic. I've even spotted pieces of filet mignon and prime rib in my packs and it is reasonably priced.

Beef stew meat is so versatile. We also use it for Instant Pot Rice and Beef Soup. If you aren't able to find stew meat, another good option is boneless beef chuck.

How to Make Beef Stew with Vegetables:

Here is a quick visual reference of how to make beef stew but be sure to watch the full video tutorial and you'll see just how easy this is.

1. In a large, oven-proof pot, brown the bacon and remove to a plate.

2. In a separate bowl, season beef with 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper then toss with flour. Add beef to the hot oil in 2 batches until browned, adding more oil as needed.

3. Add red wine and scrape to deglaze the pot. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat 10 minutes.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat with 2 Tbsp olive oil, sliced carrots, diced onions, and garlic. Sauté 4 minutes, stir in tomato paste, then transfer veggies to the pot.

5. Return Beef and bacon to the pot, add beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper and potatoes. Stir to combine and make sure potatoes are submerged. COVER and bake at 325˚F for 1 hour and 45 min.

For a Healthier Stew: you can tilt the pot after it comes out of the oven to allow the liquid to pool to one side, then skim off any excess fat with a spoon.

How to Thicken Beef Stew:

Beef stew is not supposed to be gravy. Tossing the beef in flour and the natural starch from the potatoes will make the sauce slightly thicker than a typical soup base.

For a thicker stew with a more gravy-like consistency, melt 2 Tbsp butter and stir in 2 Tbsp flour to make a paste. Once the stew is out of the oven, place it on the stove, add the paste a little at a time (to reach desired consistency) then bring it back to a boil for a few minutes to thicken and cook the flour.

Can this be Cooked on the Stovetop?

You can finish your stew on the stovetop instead of the oven. Be sure to use a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven and keep it at a low simmer so you don't scorch the bottom. It should take about 1 1/2 hours on the stovetop or until your beef reaches the desired tenderness.

What to Serve with Beef Stew

Since stew is a meal in itself, loaded with beef and vegetables in a rich broth so we love to serve it with simple sides:

• Soft Dinner Rolls – to soak up the tasty broth
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes – the stew is almost a light gravy with potatoes.
• White Rice – steamy, buttery and so simple
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes – so comforting in the cooler months
• Beet Arugula Salad – we love a fresh green salad with stew
• Caesar Salad – with the best homemade dressing

Now go forth and conquer this classic homemade beef stew! There's nothing quite like curling up with a bowl of steamy, hearty stew in the colder months.

More Comfort Food Dinner Recipes:

• Beef Stroganoff – in mushroom cream sauce
• Lasagna – classic with a beefy sauce
• Baked Ziti – irresistibly cheesy pasta bake
• Meatloaf – with our favorite glaze
• Beef Chili – easy, one-pot 30-min dinner

Beef Stew Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Every bit of this beef soup is infused with wonderful flavor from slow roasting in the oven. Pair with beef stew recipe with fresh bread or serve it over mashed potatoes.

Natasha Kravchuk

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $28-$30

Keyword: Beef Stew, Beef Stew Recipe

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Course

Calories: 365

Servings: 8 people

• 6 oz bacon, chopped into 1/4" strips
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, to sautee
• 2 lbs beef stew meat, (or beef chuck cut into 1″ pieces)
• 2 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, divided
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups good dry red wine
• 1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2″ thick pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 4 cups low sodium beef broth , or beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 lb small potatoes, new potatoes, or fingerling, halved or quartered

1. In a large, oven-proof pot, sauté bacon over medium heat until golden brown and fat is released. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a separate bowl.

2. While bacon is cooking, place beef in a large mixing bowl and season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Sprinkle beef with 1/4 cup flour and toss to combine and evenly coat beef. Transfer beef in 2 batches into the hot bacon fat and cook over med/high heat, until beef is browned (3 min per side). Add olive oil if needed. Transfer browned beef to the bowl with bacon.

3. Add 2 cups wine to the pot and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom to deglaze the pot. Add sliced mushrooms and simmer over medium heat about 10 min.

4. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add sliced carrots, diced onion, and 4 chopped garlic cloves, and saute 4 min. Add 1 Tbsp tomato paste and saute another minute. Transfer veggies to the soup pot.

5. Add 4 cups beef broth, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Return beef and bacon to the pot then add potatoes.  Stir to combine and make sure potatoes are submerged in liquid. Cover with lid and bake at 325˚F oven for 1 hour and 45 min.

For a healthier stew, you can tilt the pot after it comes out of the oven to allow the liquid to pool to one side, then skim off any excess fat.

Nutrition Facts

Beef Stew Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 365 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g 15%

Saturated Fat 2g 13%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 1479mg 64%

Potassium 1194mg 34%

Carbohydrates 21g 7%

Fiber 3g 13%

Sugar 3g 3%

Protein 35g 70%

Vitamin A 5125IU 103%

Vitamin C 16.1mg 20%

Calcium 48mg 5%

Iron 3.6mg 20%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Source: https://natashaskitchen.com/beef-stew-recipe/

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