Homemade Beef Stew Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in stew? ›

Tomatoes and tomato paste give it a sunny sweetness, finely chopped veggies lend a lot texture, and red wine and vinegar brighten everything up. Anchovies, the "secret ingredient," are briny and buttery, giving the sauce a smooth, complex finish. The hit of umami really brings the flavor of this stew over the top.

Add spices such as turmeric, coriander and cumin at the early stage of cooking, when you are frying onions and garlic, to enhance the taste of the beef stew. Fresh herbs like coriander and bay leaves also contribute a distinct flavour without making the dish too spicy for the younger members of the family.

The most important key to making stew meat tender is being sure to cook it for a long time. If you want super tender beef, you'll need to cook it on a low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove or a slow cooker for at least a few hours.

The Ideal Stew Ratio: Two Parts Meat, One Part Vegetable

Most meat-based stews call for tough, inexpensive cuts of meat, while vegetarian recipes include the same onions, carrots, and celery typical of a beef stew. Two parts meat to one part vegetables is the perfect ratio for a meaty stew.

The addition of the vinegar adds subtle acidity that balances well with the soy sauce and the honey giving this otherwise super hearty beef stew a nice lightness to it.

The vinegar will loosen all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and add flavor. Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more.

If were talking while it's being made; garlic, onion, various herbs, “horse chester sauce” tomato paste, stone ground mustard, or even a small splash of A1 sauce will all “rich up” the broth. So will sauteing the veggies in butter before adding to the stew.

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

Root Vegetables

Carrots are a go-to for stews and braises, but look beyond them to parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, celeriac, and sweet potatoes.

When to add carrots to stew? ›

Your onions will be fine, but mushy potatoes and carrots are a no-no. Instead, add them about 20 minutes before the end of cooking. When they're tender, the stew is done.

Use a tight-fitting lid and keep it on while stewing to prevent moisture and heat loss, which can affect cooking time. Follow your recipe for timing guidelines. Do not lift the lid — unless you are recipe calls for adding vegetables or other ingredients later on. You will know it is done when the meat is fork tender.

SIMMER & STEW

Don't lift the lid — unless your recipe calls for adding vegetables or other ingredients later on. You'll know it's done when the beef is fork-tender.

Simmering and Boiling

In the event that your goal is to keep moisture in—like when your pot of soup, stew, or sauce is already at the right consistency, but you want to keep cooking the vegetables and melding the flavors—leave the lid on to keep any more liquid from evaporating.

Paprika. Use regular or hot paprika if you want a little warmth and Smoked Paprika if you're after more of a barbeque style smoky flavour. Chilli and paprika work well with tomato based dishes where as herbs work best with gravy based stews.

Add Items to make Suspicious Stew

In the crafting menu, you should see a crafting area that is made up of a 3x3 crafting grid. To make suspicious stew, place 1 red mushroom, 1 brown mushroom, 1 bowl, and 1 flower in the 3x3 crafting grid.

Dried spices and dried herbs

'Warm' spices such as cumin, coriander and smoked paprika add real savoury flavour to sauces, stews and curries. Spices taste best when they are cooked, so add them at the beginning or during cooking, and layer the flavour by combining with fresh herbs added at the end.

The Best Substitute for Red Wine

Alcohol-free red wine. Beef broth. Chicken broth. Red wine vinegar (use ½ vinegar and ½ water for similar flavor results)