Hearty Beef Stew
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Hearty Beef Stew is made with tender beef, sweet onions, fresh carrots, and redskin potatoes. Add creamy gravy, and this stew is comfort food at its best.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Don't you just love comfort food that can be prepared and served in one, big pot? My Momma was the best one-pot cooker in all the world. Her avocado-green dutch oven could turn any meal into a masterpiece.
Most of the old fashioned stew recipes I've seen include some type of tomato base. Mom made a southern version by adding a dash of cream, or half and half. Her stew is rich, rib-sticking, and always delicious.
If you like meals that will keep your family satisfied for hours, then this recipe's for you!
Ingredients
To make this creamy beef stew recipe, you'll need lean stew beef, onion, beef stock, garlic powder, pepper and salt to taste. Add carrots, potatoes, cornstarch and cream to make a hearty gravy.
How to Make Beef Stew
One of the things I like most about Hearty Beef Stew is how easy it is to prepare. Start by roughly chopping one onion. Toss it into your favorite dutch oven (ad) with a pat of butter. Sauté on low heat until onions become transparent.
Add one pound of lean stew meat and sear over medium heat until all sides are nicely browned. Add a carton of beef stock, garlic powder, and a dash of pepper.
Close the lid on the dutch oven and lower heat to simmer. Cook for at least 2 hours until meat is fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
Roughly chop a few carrots and redskin potatoes and throw them into the pot. Add a cup of water or more beef stock and stir well.
Increase heat to medium, cover, then cook for 30 minutes until veggies are tender. Make a slurry of 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. water in a separate bowl. Pour into pot and stir while cooking over medium heat until gravy thickens.
At this point, take the stew off the heat and add cream or half and half. Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving in large bowls!
Recipe FAQS
The beef will be more tender if it's cooked in stock for 2 hours before adding vegetables. If you overcrowd the beef before it has a chance to cook, it will cause it to be tough.
Yes, if you're cutting back on calories or don't want to add dairy, you can serve this beef stew without adding cream. Or, use half and half instead of heavy cream if desired.
This is an old fashioned recipe, but if you want to spice it up a little, feel free to add dried oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary or paprika to the mix!
Serving Suggestions
I like to make a cake of Southern Cornbread or Cheesy Skillet Cornbread to go with mom's big old bowl of comfort. The aroma and flavors of this meal takes me back to Momma's kitchen...which feels like home to me.
More One Pot Meals
Love meals that are made in just one pot? Well, you've come to the right place!
Recipe Card
Hearty Beef Stew
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 lb. lean beef stew meat
- 1 32 ounce carton beef stock
- ⅛ tsp. garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp. pepper
- 4 carrots (roughly chopped)
- 4 redskin potatoes (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. water
- ½ cup heavy cream (or half & half)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Saute' onion with butter in a large dutch oven (ad) until transparent.
- Add beef stew meat, stir frequently to and sear on all sides.
- Add beef stock, garlic powder and pepper.
- Stir well and cover pot with lid. Cook on low heat (simmer) for 2 hours until beef is fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
- Roughly chop carrots and potatoes and add to pot. Add 1 cup of water. Increase heat to medium and cook for at least 30 minutes until veggies are tender.
- Make a slurry of 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. water. Pour into pot and stir while cooking over medium heat until gravy thickens.
- Take stew off of heat and add cream, stirring well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Serve Hearty Beef Stew piping hot in large bowls with a slice of Southern Cornbread!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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How well does this stew freeze?
Since this stew has cream in it, I don't recommend freezing it because the cream breaks down during the freezing process. If you don't mind the possibility of it becoming curdled, then you could give it a try. But for the most part, dairy ingredients don't freeze well.
Just made this today, and it is a KEEPER, the only thing I changed was I cooked the stew meat in my smaller crockpot with the beef broth after searing it with the onions then transferred to my cooking pot & finished it on the stove top. I also added chopped celery along with the potatoes and carrots. I will so look forward to this on my rotation schedule. It is a winner and comes together so easily. Thank you for this recipe.
I am so excited I found this recipe as I cannot have anything with tomatoes in it, allergic to nightshades. I have been wanting a beef stew, now I have a recipe. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much Carol Ann! I'm so glad you found a recipe that works for you!
Stews and hearty soups are what I love about fall! This will be amazing!
This is so hearty and good!
It's one of my favorite 'mom' recipes!
My mom makes beef stew like this with cream in it. I haven't seen any recipes like this, so I am excited to find one.
I'm so glad you found my recipe, Kara. Enjoy!