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Hearty Beef and Vegetable Stew

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on January 22, 2019

Time

4¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Hearty Beef and Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch piecesSalt and pepper 1 large portobello mushroom caps, cut into ½-inch pieces2 onions, chopped fine3 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1½ cups dry red wine 2 cups chicken broth 2 cups beef broth 2 bay leaves 12 ounces red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 inch thick4 parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 inch thick8 ounces kale, stemmed and sliced into ½-inch-wide strips½ cup frozen peas ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of meat on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with 1 teaspoon oil and remaining beef; transfer to bowl.
  2. Add mushroom pieces to fat left in pot, cover, and cook over medium heat until softened and wet, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until mushroom pieces are dry and browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil and onions and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and tomato paste and cook until flour is lightly browned, about 1 minute.
  4. Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and beef broth until smooth. Stir in bay leaves and browned meat and bring to simmer. Cover, transfer pot to oven, and cook for 1½ hours.
  5. Stir in potatoes, carrots, and parsnips and continue to cook in oven until meat and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in kale and continue to cook in oven until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove stew from oven and remove bay leaves. Stir in peas and parsley and let stew sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Hearty Beef and Vegetable Stew

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

4¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1 large portobello mushroom caps, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 onions, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1½ cups dry red wine
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
12 ounces red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 inch thick
4 parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 inch thick
8 ounces kale, stemmed and sliced into ½-inch-wide strips
½ cup frozen peas
¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1 large portobello mushroom caps, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 onions, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1½ cups dry red wine
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
12 ounces red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 inch thick
4 parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 inch thick
8 ounces kale, stemmed and sliced into ½-inch-wide strips
½ cup frozen peas
¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1 large portobello mushroom caps, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 onions, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1½ cups dry red wine
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
12 ounces red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 inch thick
4 parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 inch thick
8 ounces kale, stemmed and sliced into ½-inch-wide strips
½ cup frozen peas
¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

In this recipe, extra vegetables like portobello mushrooms, parsnips, and kale lend their own clean, fresh flavors to the gravy. When combined, two types of broth (chicken and beef) creates a neutral flavored that creates the rich—but not overpowering—backbone in this stew.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of meat on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with 1 teaspoon oil and remaining beef; transfer to bowl.
  2. Add mushroom pieces to fat left in pot, cover, and cook over medium heat until softened and wet, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until mushroom pieces are dry and browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil and onions and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and tomato paste and cook until flour is lightly browned, about 1 minute.
  4. Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and beef broth until smooth. Stir in bay leaves and browned meat and bring to simmer. Cover, transfer pot to oven, and cook for 1½ hours.
  5. Stir in potatoes, carrots, and parsnips and continue to cook in oven until meat and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in kale and continue to cook in oven until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove stew from oven and remove bay leaves. Stir in peas and parsley and let stew sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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