Total Time: 4.5 hours Serves: 8
Recipe By: Simple Bites
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs beef stew meat
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- fine sea salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 teaspoons butter
- 3 cups beef stock divided
- 1/3 cup red wine or beer (optional)
- 3 onions peeled and halved
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon, dried
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb parsnip peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into coins
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 275°F. Adjust oven rack to bottom third so that your pot and lid fit easily. Have your vegetables prepped and ready to go.
- Place the beef on a tray. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Stir in 1 teaspoon each fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to the flour. Sprinkle 4 Tablespoons of seasoned flour over the beef. Using clean hands or tongs, toss the beef thoroughly in the flour, making sure it is well-coated.
- Over medium heat, melt 1 Tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter together in a large Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. When the butter is bubbling, add half the beef and brown the meat all over, turning each piece with tongs. It should sizzle when added.
- When the beef is browned on all sides, transfer it to a clean bowl. Pour about 1/2 cup of beef stock into the pan to deglaze; scrape the bottom with a firm rubber spatula to get up all the browned bits. Pour this gravy over the browned beef.
- Set the pan back over medium heat. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with remaining beef, this time, deglazing with the red wine. Transfer to a bowl.
- Over medium heat, melt together the final teaspoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in the pot. Tumble in the onion. Sauté for 2 minutes. Sprinkle over the dried herbs and garlic; add the parsnip & carrots as well. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables have softened around the edges. Sprinkle remaining seasoned flour over the vegetables (about 2 Tablespoons) and stir well to coat. Cook for about a minute, then pour in the remaining beef stock. Scrape the bottom well.
- Return the beef and all juices to the pot. Add Dijon and Worcestershire. Stir well. The stock should just barely cover the meat and vegetables. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven.
- Slow braise the stew for 3 hours. Remove the lid and cook for an additional hour. Allow the stew to cool for about 15 minutes before serving. It will thicken slightly as it cools. Season generously with additional salt and pepper, tasting each time.