Old Fashioned Beef Stew (Dutch Oven)

An overhead image of a pot of old-fashioned beef stew.

5 from 7 votes

Old Fashioned Beef Stew (Dutch Oven)

This hearty & classic Beef Stew recipe is perfect for warming you up on a cold night or feeding the whole family for Sunday dinner. Made with the traditional tender beef, savory onions, carrots, and potatoes in a savory sauce, plus a few extras, it's packed full of flavor and nutrients too, so it's a win-win!

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Total Time3 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 447kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

2 to 2 ½ pounds beef chuck roast or beef stewing meat, cut into 1" to 1 ½" cubes
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup red wine (optional - can be replaced with additional broth or water)
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
5-6 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into ¼-inch discs
3-4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
2 celery stalks
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons herbs de Provence or 1 Tablespoon each dried rosemary and dried thyme
2 cups frozen peas (optional)

Instructions

Season beef all over with salt and pepper. Toss with flour.
Brown in hot oil on high heat a few at a time on all sides (about 5 minutes per batch), adding more oil if needed. Transfer to a plate as finished and set aside.
Add onions to the same pan that the meat was seared in and cook for about 4-5 minutes to soften slightly and get some color. Add garlic during the last minute of cooking.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
Deglaze the pan by adding the red wine and red wine vinegar and scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high.
Return the seared meat to the pot along with the beef broth, bay leaves, carrots, potatoes, celery, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer for 2-3 hours until beef is tender. Another option would be to transfer the dutch oven to a 325°F oven to cook in there for the same amount of time until the meat and veggies are tender.
Season with additional salt and pepper as needed, to taste. Add peas 2-3 minutes before serving, if using.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop on medium-high heat or cover and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F until piping hot.
Freeze: Store the beef stew, portioned in Ziploc bags, or as a whole in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave until piping hot.
Without wine: Substitute the red wine with additional beef broth or just water if you want to make it wine-free.
Crock Pot Beef Stew: You can absolutely cook this stew in a slow cooker. Add browned beef and cooked onions to the slow cooker, with the remaining ingredients (except the peas). Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until vegetables are tender. Add peas and season to taste before serving.
Instant Pot Beef Stew: Sear the beef and soften the onions using the SAUTE function before adding the rest of the ingredients (except the peas) and sealing the Instant Pot. Set the pressure cooker to cook at high pressure for 35 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural release. Release any remaining pressure manually, then add the peas.

Nutrition