Winter has arrived early this year, no matter what the calendar says. The bitter cold temps and the snow accumulation has surpassed all the records for this time of year in the Midwest. This can only mean one thing…..time to heat up the oven and create comfort while preparing for the holidays.
One of the easiest, most comforting and tastiest dishes I know is beef stew. What? I mean beef stew done right. The type of stew with a rich depth of flavor and a hint of wine infused into cubes of beef and vegetables. Beef stew goes together fast enough and then you let the oven do the work. And did I mention that your home will smell of love and comfort all day long? Win-win for everyone.
Make this recipe and then get busy wrapping gifts, addressing Christmas cards or making candy. This is a great way to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the season with the added bonus of no worries about dinner.
I make this knowing we will have leftovers for nights that are filled with Christmas programs, caroling and spending time with friends. This is also a great way to use other vegetables you may have on hand. I like to add thickly sliced mushrooms and serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!
Oven Beef Stew
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1 ½ pounds stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 (14.5 oz.) cans beef broth
1 cup red wine
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 large carrots, cut into ¼ inch slices
½ cup frozen peas
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Place the flour in a gallon size zip top bag along with the salt and pepper. Add half the meat pieces and shake to coat with flour.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Shake off any excess flour and add the meat to the Dutch oven. Brown meat well on both sides; remove and repeat this process with the remaining meat. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.
Add the onion to the Dutch oven and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and stir well to combine. Add the beef broth, wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme and bay leaves; stir well.
Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 1 ¼ hours. Add the potatoes and carrots.Cover and bake an additional hour. Stir in the peas. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
