This recipe is straightforward making it perfect for busy nights when you need a no-fuss dinner option that’s both satisfying and delicious. Whether you’re a beginner in the kitchen or someone who cooks regularly, you’ll find this stew easy to make and absolutely delicious. It’s the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table with some crusty bread in hand for a rustic, old-fashioned classic dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic comfort food, with maximum flavor.
- Pearl onions are used for the best texture.
- Cooked in one pot for easy cleanup.
- Freezer friendly!
Our Beef Stew has all of the old-fashioned elements you’d want along with all of the flavor. This is pure comfort in a bowl with tender beef, hearty vegetables, and all the right herbs and spices.
This stew boasts a deep, savory flavor balanced with subtle hints of sweetness and spice, courtesy of a blend of herbs and our not-so-secret ingredient: Worcestershire sauce. The beef becomes fork-tender, melting in your mouth with every bite.
Ingredient Notes
Beef: We recommend a simple stew meat which is cubed chuck roast. Most grocery stores offer stew meat, already cut, near the butcher department. You can cube your own chuck roast, or use a similar cut like bottom round, top round, and brisket.
Potatoes: Red potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes hold up better in a stew than russet potatoes, and they don’t even need peeling! Russet potatoes can become grainy due to their high starch content.
Pearl Onions: Raw pearl onions are seasonal, but you can always find them in the frozen section at your local grocery store. They have a nice, mild flavor, are already peeled, and ready to add whole into this stew. If you can’t find these little gems, a regular chopped white onion will also work, but trust me, pearl onions are worth hunting down for their unique texture and flavor.
Troubleshooting
- If the stew is too thin, add more cornstarch slurry and simmer until thickened.
- For stew that’s too thick, slowly stir in additional beef broth until desired consistency is reached.
- If the beef isn’t tender after the recommended cooking time, continue to simmer until it reaches the desired tenderness.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this comforting stew with dinner rolls for dipping or a light green salad for a balanced meal. It’s perfect for a cozy family dinner, a potluck, or a gathering where you want to offer a warm, welcoming dish.
Tips from the Chef
- Brown the beef well to develop deep flavors in the stew.
- Cut vegetables into uniform, bite-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Cool the stew to room temperature before transferring it to containers for storage.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium heat, adding a little water or broth if necessary to adjust consistency.
To freeze, transfer to an airtight freezer container or a resealable freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.
more favorite Stew recipes
Comforting Irish Stew
3 hrs 15 mins
Old Fashioned Chicken Stew
1 hr 5 mins
Instant Pot Beef Stew
1 hr 50 mins
Slow Cooker Irish Stew
6 hrs 15 mins
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
I’ve been looking for a great beef stew recipe for several years but after making this one, my search has finally come to an end. This is the BEST beef stew ever! My husband loved it! However, I found that 4 cups of beef stock wasn’t enough so I had to add more. Next time I’ll also add some red wine and a bay leaf as suggested by other reviewers.
Pounded the beef first. This was really good.
I’ve never been able to make a good beef stew until now! I’ve tried many recipes and my beef has always turned out tough. This recipe was amazing. The meat was so tender and veggies were just right. My family loved it. I will definately be making more of this!!!
That was so delicious!! It is raining here off and on for the next few days-and I live alone, so I will happily be eating this for awhile. Thank you! “Yum” doesn’t cut it and neither does “delicious “, but this is so good.
I might even store the recipe for “shut ins” or family/friends! Thank you again.
hi, I made this in January, where my partner was snowplowing it seemed for days.i found many recipes, but this caught my eye. So I made it. Many recipes call for wine which I’m not keen on. After made, my spouse said this was the best she’s ever tasted.! the best of any beef stew, so I kept it, in my folder, forgot to say anything about it, sorry about this, we froze some of the remainder, and still was so good!!! weeks after! thank you for posting!
This was awesome, wouldn’t change a thing
Easy and DELICIOUS!
Thank you for sharing, our family enjoyed this very much
The taste was delicious but my red potatoes were mush after 90 minutes. Wish I would have waited and put them in half way through.
My man friend and I love this recipe. I have made it both in the crockpot and stove top. Great either way. I have made it with pearl onions and regular onions. Yummy either way. The only suggestion I have is that if you can wait, the flavors really meld and become more delicious if you can serve it the second day.
Made this exactly as recipe says with the exception of allspice. (Didn’t have any). My family & I loved it!! Will be making it again soon.