EASY AND DELICIOUS GROUND BEEF STEW RECIPE - SERVINGS: APPROXIMATELY 8 (ABOUT 2 QUARTS)

I have several beef stew recipes on this blog but I'm not sure I have one made with ground beef. I found it at Creations by Kara and the original recipe is at this link. This is a delicious recipe and I recommend visiting Kara's website to see everything she has to offer. Though I try to add her tips below, I may have missed a few. Kara also has many wonderful recipes to try. Not only is ground beef more economical, but it cooks much faster than classic beef stew. This can also be cooked in a crockpot/slow cooker, instructions below recipe highlighted in red. I have highlighted it because I'm likely to make it this way on another occasion, and it will be easier to find.

Easy Ground Beef Stew Recipe

Preparation time: 15 minutes (though it took me a heck of a lot longer than 15 minutes as I go slow)

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

 

1 pound lean ground beef

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (plain flour in the UK)

4 large carrots, sliced

3 celery stalks, sliced

1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

2 1/2 cups of beef broth (or beef stock) - I add 1 cup of red wine to all my beef broths - we both think this adds a delicious new depth of flavor. Then you can pour yourself a glass with dinner if so inclined.

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp rosemary

Wash and chop all of the vegetables, get all ingredients ready. It is a big help once the process gets started.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until the meat is completely brown. 

Drain off any excess fat.

Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. 

Add the flour and stir until all the meat is coated.

Stir in the carrots, celery, potato cubes, diced tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary.

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. 

Stir occasionally and add a little water if the stew is getting too thick.

Serve with a crusty roll (I made a very easy, no-knead artisan bread which I will be sharing next week.)

 

Kara's Notes:

Each serving is about 1 cup

Calories per cup is approximately 227

Storing leftovers:

Like most soup, this ground beef stew tastes even better the next day after the flavors have time to meld together.

You can store it in the pot, but I like to transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

Reheat the soup in the microwave in a small bowl, or in a saucepan over medium heat. If it seems a bit dry, you can add a little bit of water or broth.

The stew can also be frozen for 2-3 months, just keep in mind that the vegetables soften as they thaw, and russet potatoes tend to get mushy if you have used those.

Variations: 

Chopped green beans are a nice addition. If using fresh green beans, add them during the last 10-12 minutes of cooking time. Canned or frozen green beans can be added at the end and just heated through.

Frozen peas, corn, or other frozen vegetables can be added during the last minute of cooking time.

I have also made this stew with yukon gold and peeled russet potatoes. All are delicious, so use whatever you have on hand.

You can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the beef if you are so inclined.

Don’t have beef broth on hand? Feel free to use a tablespoon of beef base or bouillon and 2 1/2 cups water.

Can I make this stew in a slow cooker?

Absolutely! Simply brown ground beef and onion in a skillet, then transfer to your crock pot. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Denise's notes:

I think the only addition I would make to this is mushrooms, for our own taste, maybe. Gregg thought the stew was delicious as it was, and so do I but I'm curious about adding the mushrooms.

I doubled the recipe as I knew we would want leftovers. 

I did not double the ground beef (we only had the one packet in our supplies) and found it more than enough. I wouldn't bother adding extra beef next time I make it.

I added a cup of red wine. A favorite is Meiomi Pinot Noir. It's nice to add a glass with our meal and goes well with this stew. 

I have added Kara's whole website address for this recipe below, just in case you would like to copy and paste instead of using the link above.

https://www.creationsbykara.com/ground-beef-stew/

I think that's all I can think of. If you have any questions, I can answer them in the comment section.

 

I often get asked how I make my signatures. I put it together in Paint Shop Pro today, an old program I have had on my laptop for years. No other graphics used except my photo, and I have several fonts to choose from already included in the program. It's a fun hobby and a fun way to pass the time.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE - SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW - 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

We had a cool-ish start to the day on August 21st, 2025. It started out at 65 degrees F. (going up to 75). Still not wanting to put the oven on, and yet fancying a hot meal, I looked at our semi-retired slow cooker/crockpot beef stew by Patty at The Kitchn. You can find the original recipe at this link. A little early for beef stew as normally I don't make one until the Fall, but it was really excellent. I also always recommend you visit the original recipe to see the tips that are given. I will look forward to going back to see the other recipes.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew – 4 to 6 servings

If you are serving 6 people, the calories work out to approximately 506 calories per person.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 4 hours on high – 8 hours on low

This recipe does not require you to sear the beef and deglaze the pan. The best meat suggested for the slow cooker is boneless chuck roast.

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 medium yellow onion

4 medium carrots

2 medium stalks celery

1 pound Yukon gold or red potatoes (about 3 medium)

2-1/4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast or beef stew meat

 

2 dried bay leaves

1-1/2 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving (optional)

 

Place 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker and stir to combine.

Dice 1 medium yellow onion (about 1-1/2 cups). 

Peel and cut 4 medium carrots crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds (about 2-1/2 cups). 

Cut 2 medium celery stalks crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (about 3/4 cup). 

Cut 1 pound Yukon gold or red potatoes into 1-inch pieces.

Trim off any large pieces of surface fat from the chuck roast, then cut into 1 to 1-1/2-inch pieces. Transfer to the slow cooker and toss to coat in the flour mixture. 

Add the vegetables and 2 dried bay leaves.

Place 1-1/2 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce in a liquid measuring cup or medium bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over the beef and vegetables and stir to combine. Give everything a stir.

Cover and cook until the beef is very tender, 6 to 8 hours on the LOW setting or 4 hours on the HIGH setting. 

Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. 

Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley leaves and more black pepper if desired.

What did we think? It was excellent! This isn't the first beef stew I have put on here, but each one we do seems to be 'the best'. Today we gave this one a 10 out of 10. When my dear other half came into the house after being outside, he said he couldn't wait to try it as the aroma was great.

I used the high setting for four hours and the meat and vegetables were cooked perfectly, meat was tender and veggies were just right (for our taste). 

The only thing we did to the broth today was add a cup of red wine (recommended on a cooking show years ago). I do this every time we make a meal that requires beef broth, and it gives it that added richness. We followed the recipe in every other way.

If a thicker broth is preferred, we talked about adding a little more flour next time. I said yes, Gregg said he would keep it as is.

He thought we should add more broth in the beginning, but I said we ought not to. Admittedly I could see his point but once the vegetables and meat had cooked down, there was plenty of liquid left.

Neither of us had any bread as we are trying to cut down on carbs, but rolls, crusty bread or cornbread would be a great addition. 

There were cobs of sweetcorn in our supplies, so we cooked one of those and ate it as a side.

I always try to add the address of the original recipe website below, for you to copy and paste, in case you don't want to use the link. I might sometimes forget but not today.

https://www.thekitchn.com/slow-cooker-beef-stew-recipe-23619698

Thanks for looking, 

have a wonderful week and... 

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MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - THE BEST EVER BEEF STEW RECIPE

I have a few other beef stew recipes on my blog, but have always enjoyed looking for others. This is our favorite so far and one we will be making from now on. We gave it a 10 out of 10.  It comes from Tatyana's Everyday Food and the original recipe is here. Tatyana has a step-by-step video on YouTube which you can find at this link. My mother always made suet dumplings with all her beef stews. The last time I went to the pasty shop I picked up a box of Atora. Their recipe is below this one.

The Best Ever Beef Stew Recipe - 8 servings

Preparation time: 25 minutes 

Cooking time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Calories: approximately 373 per serving

2 lbs beef tri-tip, roast or short ribs

2 tbsp cooking oil

Salt and black pepper

3 medium carrots, diced

1 large sweet onion, diced

3 medium celery sticks, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

10 small mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup red wine

1 cup tomato sauce

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

4 cups beef broth

2 1/2 tsp Italian herbs blend

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tbsp sugar

Ground black pepper

3 to 4 cups halved baby potatoes (you do not have to peel them)

1 cup fresh or frozen sweet peas

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Cut the beef into 1 1/2-inch chunks. 

Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add a few tablespoons of oil. 

Once the pan is hot, add the cubed beef, season generously with salt and fry for 7 to 10 minutes, until well browned all over. 

Transfer the beef into a large soup pot. 

Deglaze the frying pan with 1/2 cup water and add the liquids to the soup pot.

Into the same frying pan, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil and the carrots, celery and onion. 

Sauté the mixture over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. 

Once the onion is tender, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. 

Transfer the mirepoix mixture into the soup pot. 

Into the frying pan, add the butter and allow it to melt before adding the mushrooms. 

Sauté the mushrooms for 4 to 5 minutes, until well browned all over. 

Season the mushrooms with salt and then add the flour. 

Toss the mushrooms in the flour so they're evenly coated and cook for 1 minute; transfer the mushrooms into the pot.

To the soup pot, add the red wine, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, beef broth, spices and herbs. 

Season generously with black pepper and about 1-1/2 tsp salt. 

Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat. 

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and continue simmering the soup for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until the beef is tender.

Add the potatoes and frozen peas; if using fresh peas, add them 10 minutes later. 

Cook the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until fork tender. 

Garnish the stew with chopped parsley and enjoy.

Optional: for a richer stew, add the potatoes and continue cooking for an additional hour, bringing the total cooking to 2 or 2-1/2 hours.

Tatyana's Italian Herbs Seasoning:

Combine 1/2 teaspoon each of the following dried herbs: basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme and rosemary. If you enjoy fennel seed, add about 4 to 5 seeds. This is a great herb blend for the stew and can also be used for other recipes!

What did we think? Our best beef stew recipe so far. 

We forgot to add the peas but this was not missed when we ate this delicious stew.

We doubled on the beef broth and used 2 cartons. We've found that there isn't enough broth in other recipes we have done, for our taste anyway, and added an extra carton, so 8 cups beef broth instead of 4.

We bought a jar of already minced garlic that came in a small glass jar, and used the equivalent 4 cloves garlic. 

I already had a container of Italian Herbs in the pantry, and used those. Making our own would be a nice way to go, next time.

Gregg is not a fan of paprika so we left that out.

The other thing he said was that although our suet dumplings were very nice and he would no doubt enjoy them again, he preferred the Bisquick dumplings. I had to admit that though I also enjoyed them and thought they were excellent, they weren’t like how I remember those my mother made. Products, such as suet, are not like the big pieces of suet she purchased from our butcher. She used to grate this herself. I, however, also enjoyed the fact that ours were made from scratch and didn’t have any of those ingredients that we may be told to avoid  I really need to investigate this further.  

The broth was the best we have ever tasted.

My thanks to Tatyana for such a great recipe.

I am including the full address of the food blog, for copying and pasting instead of using the link above.

https://tatyanaseverydayfood.com/beef-stew/

I also added suet dumplings to our stew, and used the recipe from Atora's home site:

There is also a recipe at Erren’s Kitchen that I followed for the Imperial Measurement System we use in the United States. You can see her dumpling recipe at: https://www.errenskitchen.com/suet-dumplings/.

Thanks for visiting, have a great week and...

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BEEF STEW

 

Beef stews may not be too exciting, but I am like Pavlov's dog when it gets colder. I immediately start looking for old recipes such as this one and have made it several times.  I have shared Beef Stew recipes on here, but always enjoy trying someone else’s version. Unfortunately, the old link no longer works, so I can't tell you where it came from originally. It is basic and you probably have similar in your own collection. Normally I might add a cup of red wine to enrich the broth.  Not this time though and the broth was delicious.

Beef Stew - 8 servings

Takes about 2-1/4 hours from start to finish.

1-1/2 pounds lean beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (28 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups baby carrots, or carrots cut into 1-inch thick slices

Toss beef with the flour.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until oil hot.

Add the beef and cook for five minutes until browned, turning occasionally.

Add the tomatoes, broth, onion, pepper and thyme, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to low and cover.

Simmer for 45 minutes or until the beef is just tender.

Add the potatoes and carrots; return to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for another 45 minutes, or until the beef and vegetables are tender.

You can add your favorite dumplings to the stew or serve it with a crusty roll, or not. It is very hardy and nothing else is needed.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BEEF STEW

A few days it was very cold and my inner clock signaled it was time to make beef stew, the first time since last winter.   I am always trying different stew recipes and this one came from Cook2eatwell hosted by Elizabeth.  The original recipe can be seen at this link.

BEEF STEW by Cook2EatWell

Serves 4

Calories: approximately 359 per portion 

1 pound beef sirloin tip, cut into small bite sized pieces

1½ teaspoon salt divided (1 teaspoon for the beef, ½ teaspoon for the stew, plus extra at the end if needed)

1 tablespoon olive oil or use your favorite vegetable oil

1 medium onion, cut into small dice

2 carrots, cut into rounds or half rounds depending on their size

1 celery rib, sliced

8 ounces mushrooms, leave these whole or sliced depending on preference

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning

¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

4 cups beef broth, low sodium if you can get it

12 ounces red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

Season the beef with 1 teaspoon of salt.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the beef.

Cook the beef for 3-5 minutes until browned. Stir and turn the pieces occasionally to brown on all sides.

Add the mushroom and continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes until they start to turn golden in spots.

Next, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Next, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.

Add butter and when it melts add the flour. Cook, while stirring, for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

Raise the heat and add the beef broth while stirring briskly, gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot. Continue stirring until the flour mixture is absorbed.

Bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and cook the beef stew for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep it at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.

Add the diced potatoes to the stew and raise the heat to bring the broth back to a boil. When it is boiling, lower the heat to medium to medium-low to keep the broth at a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Add salt to taste if needed.

Serve with slices of bread for dipping, or a nice crusty roll.  You can go without as this is a very hearty soup.

Notes from Elizabeth, the blog host:

"Beef – Use sirloin tips for this stew because it is a tender cut of meat without requiring a long cooking time. However, beef chuck is a common cut used for stews. Beef round and brisket can also be used, but they will take more time to breakdown and become tender.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze the stew, cool it quickly and place in airtight containers that are appropriate for freezing. Remember to leave an inch or two to allow for expansion. Label and freeze for 2-3 months.

Gently, reheat the soup in a covered saucepan over medium-low to low heat until heated through (at least 165°F), stir occasionally – or reheat in the microwave.

For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture at foodsafety.gov."

My notes:

We didn't buy the sirloin tips and purchased sirloin beef strips by mistake. These were thinly sliced but they seemed to work well.  I think I would just go ahead and buy stewing met next time and cook it longer.

We added extra vegetables that we like, the carrots, potatoes and the mushrooms.  

The broth turned out wonderfully tasty.  I think cooking everything in the pan before adding the broth, enriched the flavor tremendously.  

I always add a glass of red wine when adding the beef broth.  I watched a cooking show once, can't remember what it was now, but after adding the wine the flavor seemed to go up a notch.  Then of course you can have a glass with the meal, so buy your favorite red if using.

When adding the flour I always add a little extra by heaping each tablespoon.  The original recipe thickens it nicely, but we like it even a little thicker. Entirely your preference.

A really delicious soup and one we happily added to the 'make-again' folder.

You can copy and paste the address below into your search engine, if you would rather do that than follow the second link at the beginning of my post.

https://www.cook2eatwell.com/beef-stew/

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BEEF AND POTATO STEW

This is our first beef stew of the season, always a favorite request.  I usually try different versions. This one added more potatoes (though you wouldn't know it by looking at those photos) and a few new twists at the end of the recipe, Balsamic Vinegar and Horseradish stirred in just before serving up (see my notes at the end of the recipe).  With the start of the colder months (even though the days are still very nice), the evenings are a little chillier and it felt like it was time to make a beef stew.

I found it at Eating Well and you can find the original recipe here.

Beef and Potato Stew – 8 servings

Serving size: 1-1/2 cups - 435 calories in each serving.

This beef and potato stew is slow-cooked (not slow-cooker as I first thought) to perfection, and you end up with a delicious gravy and the meat is very tender.  Very important for me, you can make it ahead of time.  I would have no problem doing this the day before.

3 lbs. pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon ground pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

¼ cup unsalted tomato paste (we bought a 7 oz. can and used it all)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon (I used Meiomi Pinot Noir, which is a family favorite, not that we are wine connoisseurs, we just know what we like.  We usually pour ourselves a glass and serve with our meal)

4 cups unsalted beef broth

5 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 (24 ounces) package baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut diagonally (1-inch)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325°F. 

Heat a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. 

Toss beef with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl. 

Add oil to the pot and swirl to coat. 

In 3 batches, add beef; cook until browned on 2 sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. 

Transfer to a plate. 

Repeat with the remaining beef. 

Reduce heat to medium and add onions and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown slightly, about 3 minutes. 

Add tomato paste and rosemary; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens, about 1 minute. 

Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are coated, about 1 minute. 

Stir in wine and bring to a boil; cook, stirring, until glossy and thickened, about 5 minutes. 

Add broth, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. 

Stir in the beef and any accumulated juices. 

Remove from heat and cover tightly with a lid. 

Transfer to the oven and bake until the sauce has reduced and the beef is mostly tender, about 2 hours. 

Remove from oven; stir in potatoes and carrots. 

Cover and continue baking until the beef, potatoes and carrots are tender, about 1 hour. 

Don't forget to take the thyme sprigs out and the bay leaf before serving.

Stir in vinegar and horseradish. 

Garnish with parsley, if desired.

To make ahead

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

If you are following such things, the nutritional values can be found at the original recipe, the link I have provided in the beginning of the recipe.  

We thoroughly enjoyed this beef and potato stew.  It was delicious!  

I ended up using a slow cooker, even though the above version was made for the oven.  This was because we didn't have a Dutch Oven big enough to fit all the ingredients, and the container for the slow cooker fit perfectly.  I looked at another recipe cooked that way, and they said put it on low for 7-8 hours.  We found that ours cooked faster, and after checking at 6-1/2 hours, everything was cooked perfectly.  So, if you end up using a slow cooker, I would check to see if it is done after 6-hours.  It worked for us and everything was very tender.

We cooked all the ingredients in a large frying pan up to the point of adding the already seared beef.  Instead, we put the meat into the slow cooker, and carefully poured all the other cooked ingredients over the top, and then turned on the slow cooker.

I added a container of mushrooms along with everything else.  On reflection I would have added two containers.  Also, my co-chef in the kitchen suggested we add more potatoes, more carrots and even more onions.  

This version doesn't have a lot of salt in it, which is a good thing if you are watching how much you use for health reasons.  We are trying to watch our salt intake and if you need more, you can always add it at the table.  Depends on your own taste.  

Don’t forget to remove the sprig of thyme and bay leaf. 

Neither of us felt like adding the Balsamic vinegar or the horseradish when suggested.  I added a dash of vinegar in my bowl at the table.  Both of us preferred it without as the broth was incredible.

I forgot to add chopped parsley at the end of the meal, which would have made it look prettier.  A little green goes a long way.  I wasn't really satisfied how it looked in my photos, but at least it tasted great.

One more thought, adding a little extra flour to make a thicker broth/gravy.

We added a nice crusty roll for dipping.

A big thumb's up from both of us and we are enjoying the leftovers, which only seemed to get better.

That's about all I can think of.  If you have any suggestions of your own, I would be happy to hear them.

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your week 

and Bon Appétit!

MONDAY RECIPE POST - INA GARTEN'S UNFORGETTABLE BEEF STEW

This recipe needs to be started the day before as the beef has to be marinated overnight.   

It will probably be the last stew I will make until next winter, as for me this is a cold weather food.  With an abundance of veggies in the fridge, and as I haven’t made a stew at all this year, this recipe seemed ideal.  The days have started heating up but not so hot that a bowl of beef wasn't welcome at dinner time.  

My thanks to the host of 'Veggies by Candlelight', and to Ina Garten where she got her recipe from. Ina is one of my favorite ladies on the food channel. I enjoy her shows very much and have a couple of her cook books.  You can see the host’s version at this food blog, and I highly recommend a visit, not only to see the recipe, but to look at many tempting, delicious recipes.

Ina Garten's Unforgettable Beef Stew

2-1/2 pounds of good quality chuck beef, cubed into 1-1/2 inch cubes
1 bottle of good red wine, and pour yourself a glass ( marinade won’t miss it) 
3 whole garlic cloves, flattened (for marinade) 
1 tablespoon of minced garlic (to use later when cooking the stew)
3-4 bay leaves
2 cups all-purpose flour (the host also says she has tried whole wheat pastry and oat flour with great success)
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A good quality olive oil
2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound of carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-1/2 inch chunks
1/2 pound white mushrooms, cut into 1/2 inch slices (discard the stems) 
1 pound of small potatoes, halved or quartered
2 cups or 1 (14-1/2 ounce can) chicken stock or broth (homemade when available)
1 large (or 2 small) branches of fresh rosemary
1/2-1 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 (10-ounce) package of frozen peas

Marinate the beef:

Place the beef in a bowl with red wine, garlic and bay leaves.  Refrigerate to marinate overnight.  (You will be reserving 2-1/2 cups of this marinade to use later on in the recipe.)

Brown the beef:

The next day preheat the oven to 300 degress F.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour with 1 tablespoon of salt, and pepper to taste.

Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon, discarding the bay leaves and the garlic.  Save 2-1/2 cups of marinade.  

In batches dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Heat olive oil - about a tablespoon - in a large pot and brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly.  (This may have to be done in batches because the beef cubes need to sizzle in a hot pan for a good five minutes before stirring.  Only when the bottoms have a dark crust and can come away easily from the pan can you move onto the other sides.)

Place the first batch of beef in a large, oven-proof Dutch oven and continue to brown, add the remaining beef to the pan after the first batch is done. Put that in the Dutch oven also.  

Prepare the veggies:

In the same pan as you cooked the beef, with more oil if necessary, add the onions, carrots, mushrooms and potatoes.

Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

Finish the stew:

Place all the vegetables into the Dutch oven over the beef.

Add 2-1/2 cups of the reserved marinade to the empty pot, and cook over high heat.  Deglaze the bottom of the pan by scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

Add the chicken stock, rosemary, sundried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper.

Very carefully, pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove.

Put the lid on the Dutch oven and carefully place in the oven to bake for about 2 hours, or until all the meat and veggies are tender, stirring once during cooking.  

If the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat to 250 or 275 degrees F.

Before serving stir in the frozen peas.  

Season to taste and serve hot.

A few things we altered was that we did not add the peas this time.  

Also could not find the sun-dried tomatoes and used a large can of diced tomatoes instead.  

The broth was delicious.  

It took a while to prepare.  Starting early in the morning is always the key.   When marinating the beef the night before, preparing the veggies would be a big time saver.  They can be put in a bowl tightly covered in the fridge.  The potatoes can be done the day you cook the stew.  

Whenever I feel like getting into the kitchen, the extra effort is well worth the finished meal.  

I prepared a lot of the food when Gregg was out of the house for a few hours.  When he came home he took over what was left, and I sat at the kitchen table while reading the steps of the recipe out loud.  As I have mentioned several times before, since retirement he has enjoyed getting into the kitchen and more often than not we enjoy cooking together.

Did I mention there are leftovers for a couple of more days?  One of our longer prep and cook recipes but well worth it just for that.  We gave our son a bowl the next day when he came over, and he gave it a thumb's up too.

Have a great week everyone and thanks for stopping by.