Comfort Essentials Heartwarming Beef Stew Recipes

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. Chef's Note: This is the kind of recipe that you make when you want to spend a bit of time in the kitchen. I can spend a day in the kitchen any season; however, I especially love being in the kitchen in the cold days of Winter... I will make hearty stews and soups, and bake lots of bread. Let the winds howl, and the snows come, I am comfortably ensconced in my secure kitchen.
• 3. Chef's Tip: To give the beef a bit more depth, place the cubed beef in a small bowl and add a bit of red wine, then cover, and place in the fridge for an hour or two. It really makes a big difference.
• 4. Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
• 5. Add the chicken stock to a saucepan.
• 6. Chop up the mushroom stems, and add to the stock.
• 7. Lightly simmer for 20 minutes.
• 8. Strain out the mushroom stems, and reserve.
• 9. Add the diced bacon to a heavy-bottomed pot, over medium-low heat.
• 10. Cook until the bacon begins to crisp and renders out all its fat, about 6 - 8 minutes.
• 11. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and reserve in a large bowl.
• 12. Raise the heat to medium, add the onions to the pot, and cook in the bacon grease until softened (not browned), about 5 - 6 minutes.
• 13. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon, and add to the bowl with the bacon.
• 14. Add the mushrooms to the pot, and cook until they begin to soften, and start to brown, about 15 - 18 minutes.
• 15. Remove from the pot, and add to the bowl with the other reserved ingredients.
• 16. Place a rack in the bottom position, and preheat the oven to 265f (130c).
• 17. Add a bit of salt and pepper to the flour, and coat the beef cubes with the mixture.
• 18. Chef's Note: If needed, add a tablespoon or two of sweet, unsalted, butter (or duck fat) to the pot, to supplement the bacon grease.
• 19. Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the beef cubes in two batches, until nicely browned on all sides, about 6 - 10 minutes per batch.
• 20. Chef's Note: On the second batch, if the pot needs more fat, add another tablespoon or two of sweet, unsalted, butter, or duck fat.
• 21. Add the beef to the bowl with the onions, bacon, and mushrooms.
• 22. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sherry, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the fonds that developed while browning the beef.
• 23. Add the stock and mustard, and mix to combine.
• 24. Return the bacon, onions, mushrooms, and beef to the pan, then stir to combine.
• 25. Bring the pot to the boil, and then place, covered, into the preheated oven.
• 26. Cook until the beef is fork tender, about 1.5 - 2 hours.
• 27. Chef's Note: If you are adding additional veggies, like carrots, add them to the pot about 45 - 60 minutes before fully cooked. If you are adding potatoes, place them in the pot about 30 minutes before the beef is fully cooked.
• 28. Open the oven, stir in the red wine, then cover, and allow to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• 29. Do not forget to taste, and adjust for proper seasoning.
• 30. PLATE/PRESENT
• 31. Serve while nice and hot. Enjoy.
• 32. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300˚ F.
• Heat the oil in a large (11- to 12-inch) Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
• Meanwhile, season the short ribs all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Brown half the meat in the Dutch oven over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a bowl and brown the second batch. (Don't cook them all in one batch or they won't brown!) Transfer the second batch to the bowl and set aside.
• Off the heat, add the Cognac and 1/3 cup of the wine to the pot, scraping up any browned bits, then simmer over medium heat for one minute. Add the onions and fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
• Stir the tomatoes and tomato paste into the vegetables. Add the remaining 2/3 cup of wine, the beef broth, the seared meat (and juices), 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and bake for 1 1/4 hours, checking occasionally to be sure the liquid is simmering.
• Degrease the stew, if necessary. Stir in the carrots and potatoes, cover and bake for one hour longer, until the vegetables and meat are very tender when tested with a fork. Just before serving, stir in the peas and pancetta, taste for seasonings and serve hot in large, shallow bowls.

Steps:

• Place beef and flour in a plastic baggie, Shake.
• Pour oil into a large dutch oven, heat.
• Add beef cook until brown, stirring occasionally.
• Add water and next 4 ingredients.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover.
• Reduce heat and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender.
• Discard bay leaves.
• Cut carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, and bell pepper, add to stew.
• Cover and simmer 30 minutes, or until tender.
• Combine water and flour, stirring well.
• Pour into stew.
• Boil, stirring constantly till thick and bubbly.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place beef cubes into a large bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add flour and paprika and toss until evenly coated.
• Heat oil in an oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef cubes in batches until dark brown, about 4 minutes per side. Flip or stir gently with a wooden spoon until all edges are dark brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove beef and set aside.
• Add onions to the beef fat with more salt and pepper; cook and stir until they begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir until aromatic and soft, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it turns brown and begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up the flavorful browned bits on the bottom. Let the wine reduce until almost dry again, about 3 minutes.
• Add dried thyme, dried rosemary, herbes de Provence, and bay leaves. Add 2 cups beef broth and Worcestershire, stir, and bring to a boil. Add the seared beef cubes back into the stew liquid. Remove from heat and cover the pot.
• Braise in the preheated oven until meat is almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven. Add carrots, potatoes, and more beef broth if needed. Cover and return to the oven to braise until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer.
• Discard bay leaves. Stir in peas, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon., In same pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomato paste. Gradually stir in broth until blended. Return beef to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 1-1/2 hours., In a small bowl, mix flour and water until smooth; gradually stir into stew. Add carrots and turnips; cook, covered, 30-40 minutes longer or until stew is thickened and beef and vegetables are tender. Stir in parsley. Freeze option: Freeze cooled stew in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth if necessary.

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. Gather your ingredients.
• 3. Chef's Tip: The most important ingredient in this recipe is the correct cut of beef. The wrong cut of beef can become dry and stringy, which no sauce will ever be able to rescue. If you use beef chuck roast, you will have a juicy, tender and flavorful roast. Every time.
• 4. Take the smashed garlic, /rosemary and thyme, and tie together in a piece of cheesecloth with a piece of cooking twine.
• 5. Chef's Note: Tying the spices together is called a bouquet garni. By bundling them together it helps to remove them from the stew before consumption.
• 6. Add the oil to a Dutch oven, and bring the heat up to medium-high.
• 7. Season the roast with salt and pepper.
• 8. Add the roast to the Dutch oven and sear, about 4 minutes per side.
• 9. Chef's Note: Searing a roast does NOT lock in the juices (not sure how that rumor got started); however, it will add flavor to the finished product.
• 10. Remove the roast, and reserve.
• 11. Place a rack in the lower position, and preheat the oven to 300f (150c)
• 12. Reduce the heat on the Dutch oven to medium low, and layer the onions, potatoes and carrots, in that order.
• 13. Chef's Tip: Try to cut the carrots and potatoes to the same thickness. That way they will all cook evenly.
• 14. Return the roast to the Dutch oven.
• 15. Add the cumin, paprika, cayenne, flour, and wine to the hot broth, and whisk to combine.
• 16. Add the liquid to the Dutch oven, along with the bouquet garni.
• 17. Add the bacon slices to the top of the roast.
• 18. Allow the liquid to come up to a slight simmer.
• 19. Cover and place in the preheated oven.
• 20. Cook in the oven (without opening) for 2 to 3 hours, or until the roast is fork tender.
• 21. Chef's Tip: If you want your veggies to have a bit more of a bite to them, then do not add them until the last hour of cooking.
• 22. Remove the roast, discard the bacon and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
• 23. Remove the bouquet garni from the liquid and discard.
• 24. PLATE/PRESENT
• 25. Place some veggies and gravy in a deep plate.
• 26. Add a thick slice of beef to the top, and ladle on a bit more gravy.
• 27. Serve with some nice biscuits, to soak up all that yummy gravy. Enjoy.
• 28. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.