Weeknight Beef Stew for Two
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 18, 2020
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 2
Ingredients
12 ounces sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½-inch piecesSalt and pepper 4 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 small onion, chopped fine1 carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon tomato paste ½ anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ⅛ teaspoon dried1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons dry red wine 1½ cups beef broth 1 small Yukon Gold potato (6 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces¼ cup frozen peas 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Before You Begin
Steak tips, also known as flap meat, are sold as whole steak, cubes, and strips; look for either whole steak tips or strips that are easy to cut into small pieces for this recipe.
Instructions
- Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of beef on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef; transfer to bowl.
- Add onion and carrot to fat left in saucepan and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, anchovy, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Stir in broth and potato and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir in browned beef and any accumulated juices, peas, and soy sauce and simmer until stew is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 2Ingredients
12 ounces sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
½ anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ⅛ teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons dry red wine
1½ cups beef broth
1 small Yukon Gold potato (6 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Ingredients
12 ounces sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
½ anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ⅛ teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons dry red wine
1½ cups beef broth
1 small Yukon Gold potato (6 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Ingredients
12 ounces sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
½ anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ⅛ teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons dry red wine
1½ cups beef broth
1 small Yukon Gold potato (6 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Why This Recipe Works
Instead of the usual chuck-eye roast that would be used in larger versions of beef stew, we chose steak tips, which don't require a long cooking time to become tender. To mimic the flavor of a slow-cooked stew, we seared the beef in two batches to develop more fond. After sautéing onion and carrot in the flavorful fat left in the pan, we stirred in garlic, tomato paste, and a small amount of anchovy for extra meaty flavor and savory depth. A splash of wine helped us scrape up the flavorful browned bits in the pan, and soy sauce provided extra umami depth before serving.
Before You Begin
Steak tips, also known as flap meat, are sold as whole steak, cubes, and strips; look for either whole steak tips or strips that are easy to cut into small pieces for this recipe.
Instructions
- Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of beef on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef; transfer to bowl.
- Add onion and carrot to fat left in saucepan and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, anchovy, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Stir in broth and potato and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir in browned beef and any accumulated juices, peas, and soy sauce and simmer until stew is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
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