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**Beef Stew: A Hearty Comfort Food for All Seasons**
Beef stew is a classic comfort food that has been warming hearts and stomachs for generations. It’s the ultimate dish to enjoy on a chilly day, filling your home with savory aromas that promise a meal full of rich flavors and tender textures. Made with tender chunks of beef, a medley of vegetables, and a savory broth, beef stew is the definition of hearty goodness. Whether it’s a family dinner, a gathering with friends, or simply a cozy night in, this dish is sure to satisfy everyone at the table.
If you’ve been looking for the perfect beef stew recipe, look no further. Here’s everything you need to know to make the **perfect beef stew** that will quickly become a go-to comfort meal.
### Why You’ll Love Beef Stew
– **Hearty and Filling**: Beef stew is packed with protein, vegetables, and tender beef, making it a satisfying meal that will leave you full and content.
– **Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor**: With just a few basic ingredients like beef, vegetables, and seasonings, beef stew is surprisingly simple to make but delivers an impressive depth of flavor.
– **Perfect for Leftovers**: Beef stew often tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld together, making it a great dish to enjoy throughout the week.
– **Comforting and Cozy**: The warm, savory broth and melt-in-your-mouth beef make beef stew a perfect dish to enjoy on a cold, rainy day.
– **Versatile**: You can easily adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes, adding more vegetables, seasoning to your liking, or experimenting with different cuts of beef.
### Ingredients for Beef Stew
For the perfect, comforting beef stew, you’ll need the following ingredients:
#### For the Stew:
– **2 lbs beef stew meat** (chuck roast or beef shoulder works best, cut into 1-2 inch cubes)
– **2 tablespoons olive oil** (for browning the beef)
– **1 large onion**, chopped
– **3 cloves garlic**, minced
– **4 cups beef broth** (or stock)
– **2 cups water**
– **3 large carrots**, peeled and sliced
– **3 medium potatoes**, peeled and diced
– **2 stalks celery**, chopped
– **1 cup frozen peas** (optional, added at the end)
– **2 bay leaves**
– **1 teaspoon dried thyme**
– **1 teaspoon dried rosemary**
– **Salt and pepper**, to taste
– **1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce** (optional, for added depth)
– **2 tablespoons tomato paste** (optional, for richer flavor)
– **2 tablespoons cornstarch** (optional, for thickening the broth)
### How to Make the Perfect Beef Stew
#### Step 1: Brown the Beef
Start by heating **2 tablespoons of olive oil** in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the **beef stew meat** generously with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the pot in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan), and brown it on all sides. This step adds depth and richness to the stew. Once browned, remove the beef from the pot and set it aside.
#### Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables
In the same pot, add a little more oil if needed, and sauté the **onion** for about 3 minutes, or until it becomes soft and translucent. Add the **garlic** and cook for another minute, until fragrant. If you like, add **tomato paste** at this stage and cook it for a couple of minutes to enhance the stew’s flavor.
#### Step 3: Add the Liquid and Seasoning
Return the browned beef to the pot, then add the **beef broth**, **water**, **bay leaves**, **thyme**, and **rosemary**. Stir everything together, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot (this is where a lot of the flavor comes from).
#### Step 4: Cook the Stew
Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for **1 to 1.5 hours**, or until the beef becomes tender and the flavors meld together. If you want a thicker broth, you can mix **2 tablespoons of cornstarch** with a bit of cold water to make a slurry, then stir it into the stew and cook for a few more minutes.
Step 5: Add the Vegetables
After the beef has cooked and is tender, add the **carrots**, **potatoes**, and **celery** to the stew. Stir to combine, and continue simmering for an additional **30 minutes** until the vegetables are soft and the stew is rich and flavorful. Add the **frozen peas** during the last 5 minutes of cooking for color and freshness.
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