Posted: 11/28/2020

Classic Homemade Beef Stew Recipe

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes ★★★★★ 17 Reviews Jump to Recipe

This Classic Homemade Beef Stew Recipe is the perfect comforting stew for chilly nights or Sunday dinners. This stew is filled with beef, potatoes, carrots, celery and peas for the perfect cold weather meal.

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The perfect cold night stew, this Classic Homemade Beef Stew goes perfectly with some Artisan Bread or my favorite Dinner Roll Recipe.

The cold has definitely moved in here. I feel like we are already in the middle of winter. (Although I am still holding out for a few good mild fall days!) Even though I’m more of a warm weather person, there are a few things I always look forward to when the cold has struck – warm sweaters, cuddling by the fireplace, the holiday season, and of course –

the comfort food!

And you really can’t find a better comfort food than a good beef stew recipe. And this one here definitely gets all the thumbs up.

I was sent a copy of the newest edition of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I already own 2 editions of this book, and was more than happy to add this 3rd book to my collection. These books are truly a favorite, and they are cookbooks that always get used. This book is filled with recipes that the everyday home cook would love. Nothing super fancy or pretentious – just good, good food. Casseroles, pastas, a beautiful brunch chapter, desserts, breads, and so much more. This is the book you give to high school graduates going away to college, and to newlyweds. But don’t stop there – I’ve been cooking for years and years and still find so much useful information and delicious recipes in this book!

What Kind of Beef Should you use for Beef Stew?

Because you are letting this stew cook low and slow, you can use a beef that may be a little bit tougher. If you are in a rush, you can pick up the package that is labeled as stew beef at your local grocer. This is typically round roast or chuck. But you need to remember that you’ll pay a higher price tag to have it cut for you. Plus, sometimes, you don’t know what cut of beef it is.

If you are willing to trim and cut the beef yourself, you’ll save a few dollars. The best cuts for this are any roasts that come from the front shoulder or the rear end. I think that chuck roast is the perfect beef for this easy beef stew recipe. It is what I always use when making this recipe.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need to make this beef stew recipe:

Flour, pepper and vegetable oil – for browning the meat.
Pot roast – we discussed some options for this above.
Vegetable juice – I use V8, or something similar.
Beef Broth – this is the other half of the liquid you’ll need to make the stew.
Onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, and peas – these are the veggies I use for the stew. You can always switch things up here if you’d like, as well!
Worcestershire sauce, thyme and a bay leaf – all for flavoring.

How To Make the Best Beef Stew Recipe

This beef stew recipe doesn’t take a lot of hands on time – here is how you make it.

Start by coating the beef in a flour and pepper mixture. You do this by putting the flour and pepper in a resealable bag, add the beef and shake to coat it.
Heat some oil in a large Dutch oven and add half of the beef. You don’t want to crowd the pan, which is why you are only adding half right now.
Once the beef is browned on that side, flip to another side. Continue to cook until all of the beef is browned.
Add vegetable juice, beef broth, onions, celery, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and salt to the pot. Cover and cook for 1 minute.
Add diced potatoes and carrots, stir to combine and let it simmer longer, until the vegetables are tender.
In the last couple minutes of cooking, add the peas and cook until heated through.

How to Store and How To Freeze

If you have leftovers, you can transfer them to a container with a lid and store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. When reheating, you may need to add a little bit of extra beef broth to bring it to the right consistency.

To freeze, let it cool and then transfer to a freezer safe container. I like to use ziplock bags, because I can store them flat in the freezer. You can also store them in single serving sizes.

Once you are ready to eat it again, reheat on the stove top or in a slow cooker. If heating on the stove top, you may need to add extra beef broth to get it to the best consistency.

More soup recipes for a cold night

Crock Pot Chili
Slow Cooker Beef Noodle Soup
Lasagna Soup Recipe
Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup

Tools Used to Make this Classic Homemade Beef Stew Recipe

One of the things I use all the time in my kitchen is my enameled Dutch Oven. It is a must have in the kitchen!
This recipe is very minimal, so besides the Dutch oven, all you will really need is a good knife for cutting the veggies and the meat. This really is an easy beef stew recipe!

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Classic Homemade Beef Stew

★★★★★

4.9 from 17 reviews

Author: Deborah Harroun
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 mins
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Print Recipe

Description

This Classic Homemade Beef Stew is the perfect comforting stew for chilly nights or Sunday dinners. This stew is filled with beef, potatoes, carrots, celery and peas for the perfect cold weather meal.

Scale

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 lb. chuck pot roast, trimmed and cut into 3/4” pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups vegetable juice (such as V8)
3 cups beef broth
2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
4 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices on a bias
1 1/2 cups frozen peas

Instructions

Place the flour and the pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the beef, seal the bag, and shake until all the pieces are coated with the flour mixture.
In a 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat half of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the beef to a plate, add more oil, and cook the remaining beef.
When the beef is browned, return all of the beef to the pot. Stir in the vegetable juice, beef broth, onion, celery, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover and cook for 1 hour.
Stir the potatoes and carrots into the stew. Return to a boil, reduce the heat and cover and cook for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the peas and cook until heated through. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Recipe Notes:

Recipe source: Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
Calories: 337
Sugar: 27 g
Sodium: 658 mg
Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 27 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg

Keywords: beef stew, easy beef stew, homemade beef stew, beef stew recipe

A copy of Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book was sent to me, but a review was not required. All thoughts and opinions are purely my own.

Meet Deborah

Welcome to Taste and Tell. Here you will find easy, fast and family friendly recipes. I am a believer that anyone can cook and that dinner doesn’t have to be complicated. Come join me in my kitchen! Read More