This hearty, stick-to-your-ribs stew will win over the hearts of everyone!
I'll fully admit it. When I talk about beef stew I feel like I've ages about 50 years. Is it a Grandma dish? Probably.
Don't make fun of me. I know it looks like a meal mountain men eat on a daily basis {which they probably do}, but I promise you, you will love it. I made this on a day when the plague was close to hitting us and we were all a bit hit-and-miss on whether we even wanted to eat or not.
Kind of like a hearty bowl of chicken noodle soup, this stew just feels good going down. It's nourishing and fills you up.
Per usual, I did have one problem when this stew came to mind. I, of all people, a food blogger nonetheless, does not own a soup pot or dutch oven that can go into the oven. What the heck? It is just one of those things you never think about buying for yourself. At least I don't. Until I want to cook a roast not using my slow cooker or simmer a stew long and slow.
And in case you are wondering....I'm totally eyeing this Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Dutch Oven in a deep, deep purple.
It's pricey. There is no doubt about it. But I fully know I would get great use out of it and it would last forever.
Due to this little problem I have, I had to improvise my stew a bit. Instead of letting it slow cook in the oven to finish, I tweaked the recipe a bit and cooked it fully on my stove top. Which honestly, wasn't that big of a deal. It worked perfectly!
So for all of you out there, struggling through life like me not having access to a beautiful pot like the one above {go ahead, send me a sympathy card}, this is the stew for you.
Yes, you can feel good about eating this dish.
Go ahead and put what vegetables you want in this stew, but carrots, potatoes, onion and mushrooms are the traditional ones. Sometimes you'll see green beans, or heartier root vegetables like turnips or sweet potatoes, but this is what we had on hand.
Because really, who buys turnips?
Not me.
Go ahead, shoot me an email saying how good they are for you. I'm ready.
I made this stew for dinner one night and we had enough leftover for the next night. You can serve a good crusty homemade bread with it {like this one}, a yummy cornbread muffin {we love these} or heck even just a sleeve of crackers.
Stove-Top Beef Stew
1 lb. cubed steak or minute steak {any cut you enjoy}
1 medium onion, diced
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 c. button mushrooms, cored and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
3 c. beef stock
1/3 c. dry red wine
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 t. dried thyme
3 T. cornstarch
3 T. water
1. In a large stock pot heat oil to medium-high heat. Brown the meat until golden brown on the outside, yet not fully cooked, then remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add in the onions and garlic, cooking for a few minutes.
3. Pour in the stock and wine, stirring to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Stir in the seasonings and the Worcestershire sauce. Return the beef to the pan, along with the potatoes, mushrooms and carrots and bring it to a boil.
5. Bring the pot down to a simmer, cover and let cook on the stove top for another hour.
6. In a bowl combine the cornstarch and water until smooth, the gradually stir into the stew after it has cooked an hour. Place the lid on the pot and let simmer for another 45 minutes to an hour.
7. Serve warm.
