Beef Stew
There’s stew and then there’s stew. The watery kind where you’re basically drinking beef-flavored broth with a spoon? That’s soup pretending to be stew. Real stew is thick. Chunky. The kind where you
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast (cut into 1.5-inch cubes)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup red wine (or extra broth)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 pound baby potatoes (halved)
- 3 large carrots (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 2 stalks celery (sliced)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper
Method
Step 1: Sear the beef
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Pat the beef dry. Season generously. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the beef in batches — about 3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Don’t move the pieces around. Let the crust form. Transfer to a plate.
Step 2: Build the base
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In the same pot, lower heat to medium. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, stir for a minute until the paste darkens. Sprinkle flour over everything and stir for another minute.
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Pour in the wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let it reduce by half. Add the broth, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the beef to the pot.
Step 3: Braise
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Bring to a simmer, cover, and either move to a 300°F oven for 1.5 hours, or keep on the stovetop at a low simmer. After 1.5 hours, add the potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cook for another 45-60 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the beef falls apart.
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Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the stew is thinner than you want, simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes to reduce.
Off the Galley Mike
Mike — Off The Galley
Six years as a Navy cook on submarines and destroyers, feeding 130 sailors from a galley the size of your bathroom. Now I cook the same big-flavor, no-nonsense food for my family of four — and share every recipe here. No culinary school. No fancy plating. Just real food that works, tested on the toughest critics afloat and the pickiest ones at home.
Beef Stew — Thick, Chunky, and You Can Stand a Spoon in It
There’s stew and then there’s stew. The watery kind where you’re basically drinking beef-flavored broth with a spoon? That’s soup pretending to be stew. Real stew is thick. Chunky. The kind where you can stand a spoon up in it and it doesn’t fall over. That’s the standard.
On the boat, we made stew in the biggest pot the galley had. Winter underway — cold water, long watches, guys coming off shift at 2am needing something hot and filling. Beef stew was the answer every time. I scaled that recipe down to feed my family of four, but the technique is the same.
The Secret to Great Stew
Two things: brown the beef hard, and don’t skip the tomato paste. Browning creates a deep, caramelized crust on the meat that dissolves into the broth and gives the stew its rich, dark color and flavor. Tomato paste adds body and a subtle sweetness that rounds everything out without making it taste like a tomato soup.
Cut your beef into generous 1.5-inch chunks. Too small and they dry out. Too big and they don’t cook evenly. Season aggressively with salt and pepper, then sear in batches — don’t crowd the pot or the meat will steam instead of brown.
Ingredients
2 pounds chuck roast (cut into 1.5-inch cubes), 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 large yellow onion (diced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 cup red wine (or extra broth), 4 cups beef broth, 1 pound baby potatoes (halved), 3 large carrots (cut into 1-inch pieces), 2 stalks celery (sliced), 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
How to Make It
1
1Sear the beef
Pat the beef dry. Season generously. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the beef in batches — about 3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Don’t move the pieces around. Let the crust form. Transfer to a plate.
2
2Build the base
In the same pot, lower heat to medium. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, stir for a minute until the paste darkens. Sprinkle flour over everything and stir for another minute.
Pour in the wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let it reduce by half. Add the broth, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the beef to the pot.
3
3Braise
Bring to a simmer, cover, and either move to a 300°F oven for 1.5 hours, or keep on the stovetop at a low simmer. After 1.5 hours, add the potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cook for another 45-60 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the beef falls apart.
Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the stew is thinner than you want, simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes to reduce.
Dutch Oven vs Stovetop vs Slow Cooker
The Dutch oven in the actual oven is my preferred method — the even heat gives the best results. Stovetop works fine but you need to watch the heat and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Slow cooker is the most hands-off — sear the beef in a skillet first, transfer everything to the crockpot, and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
Tips From the Galley
Cut your own stew meat. Pre-packaged “stew meat” at the grocery store is often scraps from different cuts. Buy a whole chuck roast and cube it yourself — the quality and consistency is way better.
Don’t rush the sear. This is where 80% of the flavor comes from. If you skip it or do it half-heartedly, your stew will taste flat.
Add vegetables later. Potatoes and carrots that cook for 3 hours turn to mush. Adding them halfway through keeps them tender but still holding their shape.
It’s better the next day. Like pot roast, stew improves overnight as flavors meld. Make it on Sunday, eat it through Wednesday.
What to Serve With It
Crusty bread for dipping is mandatory. Skillet cornbread works beautifully too. A simple side salad cuts through the richness if you want something green on the table.
This pairs well in a spread with meatloaf and chicken and dumplings for the ultimate cold-weather comfort lineup.
Storage
Fridge for up to 5 days. Freezes well for 3 months — though potatoes can get slightly grainy after freezing. If you plan to freeze, consider leaving potatoes out and adding fresh ones when you reheat. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of broth if it’s thickened too much.
Getting the Right Thickness
The texture of the broth is what separates good stew from great stew. I want mine thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still pourable — not paste, not soup.
The flour tossed with the beef before searing helps thicken things, and the tomato paste adds body. If it’s still thinner than you want after cooking, you have options. A cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water) stirred in at the end works fast. Or just simmer uncovered for an extra 15-20 minutes — the liquid reduces and concentrates naturally.
If it’s too thick, add beef broth a quarter cup at a time until you’re happy. Stew is forgiving — you can always adjust.
The Right Pot
A Dutch oven is ideal. Heavy, holds heat evenly, and goes from stovetop to oven. If you don’t have one, any heavy-bottomed pot with a lid works on the stovetop. The key is even heat distribution — thin, cheap pots have hot spots that burn the bottom while the top stays cool.
A 5-6 quart pot is the right size for this recipe. Anything smaller and you won’t have room for the vegetables. Anything bigger and the liquid spreads too thin and evaporates too fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without wine?
Yes. Use extra beef broth. You’ll lose a little depth but it’ll still be excellent. A splash of balsamic vinegar can add some of that acidity back.
How do I thicken my stew?
If it’s too thin after cooking, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir it into the simmering stew and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
What’s the best potato for beef stew?
Yukon Gold or baby potatoes hold their shape best. Russets will break down more and thicken the broth, which isn’t necessarily bad — just different.
Can I add other vegetables?
Peas, green beans, corn, mushrooms, parsnips, and turnips all work. Add delicate vegetables (peas, corn) at the very end so they don’t overcook.
The Wine Upgrade
Adding 1/2 cup red wine (any dry red) to the braising liquid after browning the meat transforms the stew from good to exceptional. The wine’s acidity brightens the rich, beefy broth and the alcohol cooks off during the long simmer, leaving behind complex, concentrated flavor.
More From Off The Galley
Classic Meatloaf · Chicken And Dumplings · Beef Pot Roast · Biscuits And Gravy · Egg Mcmuffin