I’m always asked about how I achieve the most tender beef in all my stews. The secret is simple – low and slow braising method as well as selecting the right cut of meat!
The cut of meat matters! To achieve that unbelievably tender stewed meat while having your stew burst with rich beefy flavour, boneless beef chuck is absolutely the way to go. I always buy my meat in roast cuts or steaks, never in pre-cut stewing meat packages. I want to know where my meat is coming from. The connective tissue that this cut of meat contains is full of flavour as well as perfect for prolonged low and slow cooking method, where that connective tissue breaks down and softens into the perfect stewing meat. What I typically get is 3lb packages of beef blade steak (each about 1.5 inches thick).
So saucy!
Tender, Saucy and Flavourful Beef Stew
4
servingsIngredients
3 lbs top blade steaks or a boneless chuck roast
3 TBSP olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 TBSP all purpose flour
1 onion, peeled and left whole
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 carrots, peeled and left whole
2 celery stalks, peeled and left whole
3 TBSP tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine, optional
3 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
2 bay leaves
2 TBSP soy sauce
fresh herbs such as thyme and rosemary (6 sprigs or so)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped (or equivalent amount of baby carrots)
1 TBSP butter
8 oz sliced mushrooms, quartered
2 – 2 1/2 lbs potatoes (yellow or Russet,) peeled and cubed
1/2 cup frozen peas
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300F. That’s right, we will cook them low and slow!
- If you have steaks, dry them with paper towels and season very liberally with salt and pepper. If you have a roast, slice it into 1.5 inch steaks, then dry and season them. Preheat oil in a large heavy bottom skillet. This step will likely need to be done in 2 batches (so that you don’t overcrowd the pan – if it’s overcrowded it will steam the steaks instead of searing them.) Search each steak for about 5 minutes per side on high heat until nice golden brown. Remote to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the whole onion, 2 whole carrots, 2 celery stalks and garlic cloves. Cook for a few minutes until browned and fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to cook off that canned taste. Pour in the wine and cook until it’s nearly evaporated. Add 3 cups of stock and bring to simmer. Transfer the contents to a heavy Dutch oven. Add bay leaves, soy sauce and fresh herbs.
- Slice your steaks into thick 2 inch chunks. Don’t be tempted to slice them smaller than that – or your meat will be overcooked and not as tender. Dust them with flour and transfer to the Dutch oven. The stock should almost cover the beef, but not all the way – we are braising, not boiling the meat.
- Bring your stew to a gentle simmer and transfer the whole pot to the preheated oven. Leave the lid slightly ajar (will help thicken your sauce.) Bake in preheated oven for 1.5 hours. It should be mostly fall apart tender, and keep in mind, once we add potatoes in the next step, we’ll cook the meat more. But if the meat is not tender at all, it can used up to another half an hour of stewing.
- While the stew is cooking, heat butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned. Removed to a plate and set aside.
- Remove the meat from the oven, discard fresh herbs, bay leaves, onion, carrots and celery. Add fresh carrots, mushrooms and potatoes. Return the stew back to the oven. Cook for an additional 1 hour (or a bit more) until your potatoes are tender.
- Remove the pot from the oven. Scoop our or pour out the runny sauce into a skillet. Place the sauce on the stove over medium high heat and cook until the sauce consistency is thickened, no longer runny and to your liking. Pour the sauce all over the stew. Stir in frozen peas. Serve and enjoy!
