Beef Stew

Beef Stew


Pat dry:
2 pounds boneless stewing beef  (2-inch cubes)

Season the meat with:
½ to 1 teaspoon dried herbs (thyme, marjoram, oregano and/or basil)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Dredge the meat with:
½ cup all-purpose flour
Shake off any excess flour.

Heat in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat:
2 tablespoons butter (or other fat)
Add the meat in batches and brown on all sides, being careful not to crowd the pan or scorch the meat. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but two tablespoons of fat from the pan (or add more if needed).

Add:
½ cup chopped onions
¼ cup chopped carrots
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped leeks
2 tablespoons chopped garlic

Cover and cook, stirring often, over medium heat until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add:
2 bay leaves
½ to 1 teaspoon of the same herbs used to season the meat
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Add enough to cover the meat at least halfway:
2 to 3 cups beef or chicken stock, dry red or white wine, or beer
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer over low heat until the meat is fork-tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Add:
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 or 4 boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and skim off any fat from the surface. Taste and adjust the seasonings. If you wish, thicken the sauce by stirring together and whisking into the stew (this is known as Kneaded Butter):

1 ½ tablespoons soft butter
1 ½ tablespoons flour

Simmer, stirring, until thickened. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Recipe from Joy of Cooking.