Classic Old-Time Beef Stew offers the ultimate comfort food in a bowl, featuring tender beef and hearty vegetables. Made with everyday ingredients and just a hint of spices, this recipe delivers a hearty and delicious meal that the entire family will love.
“Best beef stew recipe. I’ve been coming back to this post for 10 years now. Thank you so much for sharing!”
kat
Everyone has their unique twist on beef stew, adding everything from tomato sauce and fancy wines to exotic herbs and orange zest. But me? I keep it classic and simple. Just water and a couple of beef bouillon cubes (or bouillon powder) to enrich the stew with that deep, intense beef flavor.
When I’m in the mood for a bowl of hearty and tender beef stew, I always turn to this old time beef stew recipe that I’ve cherished for decades. It’s a crowd-pleaser, consistently winning everyone’s hearts and appetites.
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What Makes Old-Time Beef Stew Stand Out?
Old-fashioned beef stew is a classic dish that takes us back to the basics of home cooking. It’s made with humble, wholesome ingredients like chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes, and onions. This stew is thick and hearty, often thickened with a bit of flour or cornstarch, giving it a comforting and filling quality that’s perfect for a family meal.
What’s the secret to a good stew? The answer lies in patience and simplicity. The beauty of this old-time recipe lies in its slow-cooking process, which allows the flavors to meld together seamlessly and the meat to become tender and succulent.
Just a touch of paprika and a hint of allspice can bring back those nostalgic, traditional flavors. making each mouthful a delightful experience. This stove top cooking technique ensures the beef is succulent and the stew’s flavors are well-integrated.
In my personal twist on this classic recipe, I omit adding potatoes into the stew. Instead, I prefer pairing it with creamy mashed potatoes or fresh, crusty bread – ideal for soaking up all the stew’s rich and flavorful gravy.
Pro Tip: Prepare this stew a day in advance. It allows the flavors to deepen and meld, making it even more delicious the next day.
Best beef cut for your stew
When it comes to selecting the best beef for your hearty stew, I suggest sticking with straightforward stewing beef. Many grocery stores conveniently provide pre-cut beef stew meat, which is typically cubed chuck roast.
However, if you prefer, you can easily cube your own beef chuck at home. Other suitable options include cuts typically used for pot roastssuch as bottom round, top round, and brisket. These cuts are perfect for slow-cooking, ensuring a tender and flavorful stew.
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef Stew Meat: Choose quality stew meat for a rich and savory base. Pre-cut options are readily available, or you can cube a chuck roast for a more hands-on approach.
- Onion, Celery, carrot: This classic trio, often referred to as a mirepoix, provides a foundational flavor. They add a subtle sweetness and aroma that’s essential in beef stew.
- Beef bouillon cubes or powder: These enhance the stew with a deep, concentrated beef flavor, enriching the overall taste profile.
- Worcestershire sauce: A dash of Worcestershire sauce adds complexity with its tangy, slightly sweet flavor, giving the stew a unique depth.
- Lemon Juice: The acid in lemon juice helps break down the meat, making it more tender. It also adds a fresh, bright note to balance the rich flavors.
- Spices: A combination of bay leaf, paprika, allspice, pepper, and a hint of sugar creates a well-rounded old world spice profile.
- Peas (optional): Additional vegetables to add heartiness.
- Slurry (Flour or Cornstarch): To achieve the perfect thick and hearty texture, use a slurry of either flour or cornstarch. This is the final touch to ensure your stew has a rich and satisfying gravy.
How to make Old Time Beef Stew
- Begin by seasoning the stew beef cubes with salt and pepper.
- Heat a little bit oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a large Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Brown meat in batches to avoid crowding, browning each piece well. Once browned, remove the beef and set it aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot. Then, cook the onion for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly scraping the bottom of the pan, until slightly softened.
- Pour in cold water, beef bouillon, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, salt, sugar, pepper, lemon juice, paprika, and allspice. Stir everything together, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently for 1.5 hours.
- After 1.5 hours, remove the bay leaf and add carrots and celery to the pot. Cover and continue simmering on medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- If using frozen peas, thaw them first, then add them to the stew. Stir the mixture well and taste, adjusting seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- In a small bowl, mix starch with a bit of water to create a slurry, then add this to the stew. Continue stirring as the stew thickens. Once thickened, remove from heat.
Serving suggestions
Enjoy this hearty beef stew with a variety of sides. It pairs beautifully with creamy mashed potatoes, buttery noodles, or steamed white rice. Alternatively, you can savor it with a slice of crusty bread to soak up the rich and flavorful gravy.
Easy Dessert Ideas to Complement Beef Stew
After enjoying a hearty stew, why not treat yourself to a sweet ending? These comforting and easy-to-prepare dessert recipes are the perfect way to round off your meal.
First posted in Feb 2012, this recipe now has new photos and updates. If you like it, please rate and comment. Subscribe to our newsletter for more great recipes.
Hearty and Tender Old Time Beef Stew
Classic Old-Time Beef Stew combines tender beef and hearty vegetables for a comforting, family-friendly meal made with simple ingredients and spices.
- 2-3 tbsp cooking oil, divided
- 2 lb stewing beef, or beef chuck cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 tsp salt, to taste
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 1 medium onion , sliced
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 2 beef bouillon cubes, or 4 tsp beef bouillon powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 dashes dashes ground allspice , or cloves
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice, optional
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed, optional
starch slurry
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tbsp cornstarch, or flour
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Season the stew beef cubes with salt and pepper. Heat a little bit oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a large Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Brown meat in batches to avoid crowding, browning each piece well. Once browned, remove the beef and set it aside.
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Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot. Then, cook the onion for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly scraping the bottom of the pan, until slightly softened.
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Pour in cold water, beef bouillon, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, salt, sugar, pepper, lemon juice, paprika, and allspice. Stir everything together, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently for 1.5 hours.
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After 1.5 hours, remove the bay leaf and add carrots and celery to the pot. Cover and continue simmering on medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. If using frozen peas, thaw them first, then add them to the stew. Stir the mixture well and taste, adjusting seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
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In a small bowl, mix starch with a bit of water to create a slurry, then add this to the stew. Continue stirring as the stew thickens. Once thickened, remove from heat.
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Serve the stew hot, with your choice of sides like mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, steamed rice or crusty bread for soaking up the flavorful gravy.
Serving: 6g, Calories: 310kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 658mg, Potassium: 710mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 3636IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 4mg
