Beef Stew I
Beef stew has chunks of softened beef and vegetables in a thick sauce. It is often served with cornbread or biscuits.
- Prep
- 21 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 23 min
- Total
- 1 hr 44 min
- Servings
- As written in source
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Timings are approximate — worked out from the method, not measured in a test kitchen.
Ingredients
Quantities are retained as written by the source and do not scale automatically. Tap an ingredient to check it off as you go.
Cooking instructions
Procedure
Cut the beef into chunks about 1 inch (2.5 cm) across.
Procedure
Put the beef and flour in a container, such as a plastic bag, and shake or squish until the beef is well-coated. Use more flour for a thicker stew, or less for a thinner stew.
Procedure
Put oil into a wide pot and heat it.
Procedure
In several batches, brown the beef in the pot with the oil.
Procedure
Return the browned beef to the pot, along with all the spices, tomato juice, and the double-strength beef broth.
Procedure
Cover the pot, then simmer for at least an hour to soften the beef. Stir the stew every few minutes to prevent the beef from burning on the bottom of the pot.
Procedure
Peel the carrots, and cut them into pieces about the same size as the beef. Add them to the stew, and simmer a bit more, stirring every few minutes.
Procedure
Cut the other vegetables likewise, add to stew, and simmer a bit more, stirring.
Procedure
When all the vegetables are soft but not yet falling apart, remove the bay leaf and serve the stew.
Notes, tips, and variations
Try adding other vegetables such as turnips, parsnips, and frozen corn. Note that turnips mush quickly.
Photo: AlbertCahalan · Public domain · · Photo source and licence
Wikibooks contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ · Adapted; quantities retained as written. · Original source
Read it through first
Skim all 10 steps before you start — it is the difference between cooking and firefighting.
Scale it
Use the quantities listed in the original recipe. Adjust them manually if making a different batch size.
Storage
Cool completely, then keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently with a splash of water in a covered pan, rather than blasting it, so nothing dries out.
Approximate values per serving. Worked out from the ingredient list — treat them as a guide, not a measurement.
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