This is the best beef stew, filled with delicious and nourishing ingredients, is the perfect cozy meal for cooler days. Hearty and so flavorful, this is the type of meal that actually gets better the second day!
Being from Texas originally, I grew up eating lots of stews and chilis. I have gathered bits and pieces from each stew I tasted and have worked to create the best beef stew!
When I was living in West Texas teaching high school choir, my coworker’s husband, who was a big hunter, would generously give me a few pounds of deer stew meat each year. He is an excellent cook, and passed along a delicious deer stew recipe that inspired my journey to creating this beef stew. The venison was so delicious in the stew and if you have access to venison, I highly recommend using that! I looked forward to that every winter!
A few issues I have found with other beef stew recipes I have tried is that they are either too thin and soup-y or are flavorless. It is so disappointing to make a big batch of stew just to find it is lacking something!
After making this meal many times each fall and winter, I think I have found the best combination! This stew has the perfect balance of heartiness and flavor.
One of the great things about stew is that it is versatile. If there is one vegetable you know your family will not touch, no problem. Take that out and just add a little more of one of the veggies you know everyone will eat!
This recipe makes a large amount and is great if you have a big family or are having guests over. If you have leftovers, don’t worry, because it truly gets better the second day. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed eating it a second (or third!) time! It really is that good!
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Tools you may need to make the best beef stew:
- Large Dutch Oven
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Garlic Press
- Citrus Juicer
What meat should I use for beef stew?
Beef stew can be made with precut stew meat found in the grocery store or beef chuck roast. When we lived in northern California, we had a co-op that sold grass-fed precut stew meat and I loved how easy it was to use for stews. I haven’t found grass-fed stew meat where we live now, so I buy the big grass-fed chuck roast and cut it myself. I always recommend cooking with grass-fed beef as it is higher in vitamins, nutrients and healthy fats, is hormone and antibiotic free, and just tastes better!
What should I cook my stew in?
I use a well seasoned cast iron dutch oven for this recipe. The heaviness of the cast iron allows for even heat distribution, so I have not had issues with anything burning. A large soup stock pot could work as well, however you will need to stir more frequently and watch the heat so nothing burns to the bottom.
What is the best way to reheat the stew?
You will notice that some of the broth might soak into the vegetables after being refrigerated. This is okay! When you are ready to eat it again add about a cup of water and reheat on the stove. Add a pinch of salt since you are adding just water. I am not exaggerating when I say it will taste even better the next day!
Why is there so much salt added in this recipe?
I use homemade bone broth in this recipe, which has no added salt, so the amount of salt I have included in the recipe is perfect for using unsalted bone broth. If you are using store bought broth that has added salt, you may need to adjust the salt amount to taste. I would still salt the beef, but hold off on the rest of the salt later on until you can taste it altogether and add more if needed.
Can you freeze this stew?
Absolutely! This is probably one of my favorite meals to freeze because it is so easy to store and prepare later on for a nutritious meal. To store, allow the stew to come to room temperature and then place in whatever container you like. Freezer Ziplock bags or shallow foil pans are my favorite way to freeze stew and other soups. Just remember that it will expand as it freezes, so leave room for that. When you are ready to eat it again, defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop. I recommend holding off on the potatoes until you are ready to reheat the stew and adding them in then. You can freeze the potatoes in the stew if you would like, but the texture will change slightly when reheated.
How to make the best Beef Stew
First, prepare the meat. I use grass-fed beef chuck roast and sliced it into 1 inch cubes. Generously salt the meat and let it sit while you chop the other vegetables. Beef cooks best when it is not super cold, so it is good to let it rest a bit on the counter before cooking.
Heat the unsalted butter in your dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter bubbles, add the beef to the pot. Spread the meat out over the bottom of the pot and let it cook undisturbed for about 3-4 minutes until browned on one side. Give it a stir and do the same for the other sides.
Once the meat is browned, add in the minced garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Next, add in the onions, carrots and celery. This will cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are getting cooked and onions are translucent.
Next, add the spices, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir in to coat the meat and veggies. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with a splash of broth to keep from burning. Reduce the heat to medium if needed.
Add the crushed tomatoes, remaining broth, and bay leaves. Add the potatoes, peas and corn. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to allow the stew to simmer. Cover the pot and simmer on low for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.
Enjoy this stew on its own or add a side of cornbread!
Pin it for later!
Check out these other recipes to enjoy this Fall/Winter!
- Homemade Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Bagels with Pumpkin Cream Cheese
- Pumpkin Sourdough Pancakes
- Homemade Nourishing Bone Broth
- Creamy Tuscan Sausage and Kale Soup – Zuppa Toscana
Homemade Beef Stew
Hearty and flavorful, this nourishing beef stew is perfect for cool days and nights!
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 lb Stew Meat, grass-fed stew meat or chuck roast
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Large onion, chopped
- 4 Large carrots, sliced
- 6 celery ribs, sliced
- 6 Medium gold potatoes, cubed
- 1 Large fresh corn on the cob, slice off kernels, may use 1 can drained corn Instead
- 8 oz frozen peas
- 1 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 Tbsp Onion salt
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbsp salt, divided, 1 1/2 tsp for meat, 1 1/2 tsp in stew
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 6 C Bone Broth
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes, canned
Instructions
Beef Stew Instructions
- First, prepare the meat. I use grass-fed beef chuck roast and sliced it into 1 inch cubes. Generously salt the meat and let it sit while you chop the other vegetables. Beef cooks best when it is not super cold, so it is good to let it rest a bit on the counter before cooking.
- Heat the unsalted butter in your dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter bubbles, add the beef to the pot. Spread the meat out over the bottom of the pot and let it cook undisturbed for about 3-4 minutes until browned on one side. Give it a stir and do the same for the other sides.
- Once the meat is browned, add in the minced garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the onions, carrots and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are getting cooked and onions are translucent.
- Next, add the chili powder, paprika, onion salt, garlic powder, remaining 1 1/2 tsp. salt, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir in to coat the meat and veggies. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with a splash of broth to keep from burning. Reduce the heat to medium if needed.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, remaining broth, and bay leaves and stir. Add the potatoes, peas and corn.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to allow the stew to simmer. Cover the pot and simmer on low for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.
Notes
Enjoy this stew on its own or add a side of cornbread!
When reheating, add a cup or so of water to replace some of the broth that will be absorbed into the vegetables. Salt as desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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