Comfy and Cozy Beef Stew
By: Leah Rodrigues
Published: November 1, 2012

Classic beef stew from LeMoine Family Kitchen is a cozy and comfy meal.  Nothing beats a warm and hearty stew when a storm is raging outside.  Cubes of beef are cooked low and slow in a tomato broth with root vegetables.  The stew will simmer for at least two hours on the stovetop.  You can also cook the stew in a dutch oven at 250 degrees in the oven.  This one pot meal is sure to be a family favorite.
Classic Beef Stew
 
Ingredients:
2 lbs beef chuck, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb baby carrots
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 lb red potatoes, cubed
2 parsnips, diced
1 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbsp garlic powder
4 cups vegetable or beef broth
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp gravy master
1 can tomato puree
flour for dusting
olive oil
Directions:
Make sure you have all your vegetables prepped. Grab a heavy duty giant pot, like my trusty Le Creuset Dutch Oven, and heat it over medium high heat. Add enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of the pan.
In a dish, add the beef, season with salt and pepper and toss it in just enough flour to coat it lightly. In small batches brown the beef on the two largest sides of the meat. Set aside until all the meat is browned.
To the pot, with all the fabulous bits of flavor, add in the onions. Using a spoon, scrap up those yummy bits and work them into the onions. Add in the remaining vegetables. Stir in the garlic powder and thyme.
Add in the tomato puree, broth, gravy master and worcestershire sauce. Stir to incorporate. Add the beef back into the pot.
Ok, we've got everything in there now! Cook on low, with the lid on, for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Take the lid off and simmer for another 2 hours. The meat will be fork tender, the sauce will have thickened a bit and become a rich color, the vegetables perfect.
Serve with a hunk of garlic bread and some of your favorite wine... enjoy!

Comments:
John Duncan
November 28, 2012

Nicely done. Looks very good.