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A bowl of beef stew in a dark gravy
Stewing

Beef stew for a cold night

Prep 25 min Cook 2 hr Total 2 hr 25 min Servings 6

By Lukasz Jagiello

Published Oct 11, 2026 · Updated Oct 11, 2026

Photo: HarshLight from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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About this recipe

I only post recipes that I have tried and verified and are good to my taste — all taste may vary.

Browning the beef in batches builds the flavor the broth cannot make on its own. A low simmer, not a boil, keeps the chunks tender instead of stringy.

Ingredients

Method

  1. 01

    Pat the beef dry and season it. Brown it in the oil in a Dutch oven, in batches, and set it aside.

  2. 02

    Cook the onion in the same pot until soft, 6 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and stir 1 minute. Stir in the flour.

  3. 03

    Add the broth, Worcestershire, bay leaves, and beef. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 90 minutes.

  4. 04

    Add potatoes and carrots. Simmer uncovered until the vegetables and beef are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in peas for the last 5 minutes if you are using them. Fish out the bay leaves, taste for salt, and serve.

Notes & swaps

  • A splash of beer in place of 1/2 cup of the broth is good. Boil it a minute before you cover the pot.
  • The stew is better the next day. Cool it fast and reheat to a simmer.

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