Beef Stew

• Meat

  • 2 2 1/2 lbs boneless beef chuck or good quality stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces, boneless
  • 6 oz Bacon, thick-sliced

• Produce

  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 4 Carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" thick pieces, large
  • 4 Garlic cloves
  • 1 lb Mushrooms
  • 1 lb Potatoes, small
  • 1 tsp Thyme, dried
  • 1 Yellow onion, medium

• Canned Goods

  • 4 cups Beef broth or beef stock, low sodium
  • 1 tbsp Tomato paste

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 Salt and ground black pepper

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1 Olive oil to sautee

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 2 cups Red wine, good Red Soft such as

Found on natashaskitchen.com

Description

Ingredients

• 6 oz thick sliced bacon, chopped into ¼ wide strips
• Olive Oil to Sautee
• 2 - 2½ lbs boneless beef chuck or good quality stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1 pieces
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 cups good red wine such as Soft Red, or Pinot Noir (see note above)
• 1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½ thick pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 4 cups low sodium beef broth or beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 lb small potatoes (new potatoes, or fingerling), halved or quartered

Directions

• 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.
• While bacon is cooking, place beef in a large mixing bowl and season with ½ Tbsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Sprinkle beef with ¼ cup flour and toss to combine and evenly coat beef. Transfer beef in batches into the hot bacon fat and cook over med/high heat, until beef is browned (3-4 min per side). Add olive oil if needed. Cook beef in 2 batches or it wont sear properly. Transfer browned beef to the bowl with bacon.
• 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. Return beef and bacon to the pot.
• 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 sautee another minute. Transfer veggies to the soup pot.
• Add 4 cups beef broth, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a low boil.
• Add potatoes, making sure they are submerged in liquid then cover and transfer to a 325˚F oven for 1 hour and 45 min. Beef will be very tender. 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.