Old-Fashioned Slow-Simmered Beef Stew

Name: Old-Fashioned Slow-Simmered Beef Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 800 g of beef (cut into even cubes); 2 onions (thinly sliced); 2 garlic cloves (chopped); 2 tbsp of tomato paste; 2 tbsp of flour; 500 ml of beef broth (hot); 2 tbsp of vegetable oil; 20 g of butter; 2 bay leaves (dried); 2 thyme (fresh sprigs); 1 tsp of salt; 1/2 tsp of black pepper (ground); 3 parsley (fresh sprigs for plating)

No reviews yet

Slow-simmered beef stew is the ultimate comfort dish, offering ultra-tender meat coated in a rich, creamy sauce. This great family classic, easy to make in a Dutch oven, warms the table and pleases everyone. Serve it piping hot with homemade mashed potatoes, fresh pasta or steamed potatoes for a flavorful, complete meal.

Total time: 2 h 50
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 2 h 30
Difficulty: Medium
Per person: €3.63

By the CookinBreak team

Goes well with

🎅 Christmas: all recipes

As a starter

Scallop Carpaccio with Citrus

15 minEasy

For dessert

Chocolate Truffles

15 minEasy

To drink

5.0

Lavender Lemonade

5 minEasy

Nutrition facts

per serving · estimate

420kcal

Protein48 g47%
Carbs14 g14%
Fat18 g40%
Fiber3 g

Share of each nutrient in the calories of one serving.

Good to know

Chef's tip

To guarantee a tender, non-stringy texture, choose a gelatinous cut such as chuck or shoulder. Sear the meat in small batches so as not to drop the temperature of the Dutch oven, which preserves all the tenderness of the fibers.

Freezing : Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes

Works very well, up to 3 months in individual portions in zip bags or airtight containers.

Storage : How long does it keep?

Keeps 3 to 4 days max in an airtight container in the fridge.

Making ahead : Can you make it the day before?

Yes

The flavors develop and deepen after a night in the cold.

Reheating : How do you reheat it?

Oven at 160°C for 20-25 min. Microwave at medium power in intervals. Saucepan over low heat, stirring regularly.

Variations

Root vegetable version: add 2 sliced carrots and 2 potatoes cut into pieces 45 min before the end of cooking.
Red wine version: replace half of the beef broth with 250 ml of full-bodied red wine for a deeper, daube-style sauce.
Mushroom version: add 250 g of button mushrooms sautéed in a skillet during the last 15 minutes of simmering.

Mistakes to avoid

Boiling at a rolling boil: too high a heat irreversibly toughens the beef fibers instead of tenderizing them.
Skipping the browning of the meat: leaving out the browning step deprives the sauce of the caramelized browned bits essential to its depth of flavor.
Thinning the sauce too much: pouring in too much liquid at the start gives a watery broth instead of a thickened, coating sauce.

Frequently asked questions

Which cut of meat should you choose for this stew?

Favor braising cuts rich in collagen such as chuck, chuck tender, short rib or shoulder. They melt slowly as they cook to become extremely tender without drying out.

Can you make this recipe without a cast iron Dutch oven?

Yes, a thick-bottomed pot or a deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid works very well. The key is to maintain a very gentle, steady heat throughout the 2 h of cooking.

What should you do if the sauce is too thin at the end of cooking?

Simply remove the lid of your Dutch oven for the last 15 minutes of cooking and raise the heat slightly. The evaporation will let the sauce reduce and thicken naturally.

What sides go with this stew?

This stew goes perfectly with buttery mashed potatoes, fresh tagliatelle, white rice or simply a slice of country bread for soaking up the sauce.