Homemade beef stew is a delicious and nourishing one-pot meal for the whole family. This recipe is full of veggies, grass-fed beef, and loads of flavor! Make homemade beef stew on the stove to fill your house with a deliciously flavorful aroma!
Homemade beef stew is one of those meals that will fill you up! It packs protein and healthy dense carbs into each bowl. Plus, it contains many nutrients that are needed to support health.
In this beef stew recipe, the beef is cooked on its own until it is tender. Then the vegetables and species are added to create a stew that is tender and full of flavor!
It is sure to warm up on even the coldest day!
Nutrients in beef
Beef is an excellent source of many nutrients that are important to health.
For example, in 100 grams of ground beef, there is roughly 35% of the recommended daily amount(RDA) of vitamin B12, and 30% of the RDA for zinc.
It also contains moderate amounts of selenium, B3, B6, and iron. As well as small amounts of magnesium, copper, potassium, and vitamins E, K, B1, B2, and B5.
But if you eat grass-fed beef, you will get even more nutrients!
For starters, grass-fed beef provides more vitamins A and E than grain-fed beef. It is also higher in B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Additionally, the fat profile of grass-fed beef is healthier, mainly in the fact that it contains more omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are important for brain health, among other things.
Most importantly, grass-fed beef is higher in conjugated linoleic acid. CLA is a naturally occurring fat that is only found in meat and dairy products. It is known to reduce inflammation and promote healing. CLA also reduces the risk of obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
Where to purchase grass-fed beef?
It is getting easier to find grass-fed beef in many grocery stores.
I recommend purchasing from a farmer local to you. This gives you an opportunity to talk to them about their raising and feeding practices. Plus, you will be supporting your local community.
If you do not have a source local to you, you can also buy grass-fed beef online. My trusted local farmer, White Angus Ranch, ships to the continental 48.
Equipment need
To make beef stew on the stove, you will need a large pot. I prefer a 6-quart enameled dutch oven. I love that it heats evenly and that it gives plenty of room to stir all the ingredients.
A stainless steel pot would work great too.
Other items you will need are:
- Sharp knife: for cutting all the veggies
- Cutting board: I recommend a nice, sturdy wooden cutting board
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Wooden spoon
Homemade beef stew ingredients
One of the great things about homemade beef stew is that the ingredients are easy to come by. Heck, you might even have everything in your kitchen already!
- Grass-fed beef: For this recipe, you can use precut stew meat or use a chuck roast that you cut into 2″ cubes
- Bone broth: Beef bone broth is ideal here but you can use chicken if that is what you have. Found out how to make your own in this post.
- Healthy cooking fat: Butter is my choice here, but ghee, bacon fat, avocado oil, or coconut oil would all work.
- Onion: yellow or white onions are best.
- Garlic
- Potatoes: cut into 1″ cubes
- Carrots: cut into 1/2″ coins. If the carrot is really large in diameter, I like to cut it in half for even cooking.
- Red wine: Go with a dry red wine for this recipe. I like to use a good cabernet sauvignon.
- Tomato Paste: Purchase organic to avoid added toxins.
- Bay leaves
- Thyme: Fresh and dried will both work for this recipe.
- Rosemary: Again fresh and dried will work in this homemade beef stew recipe.
- Frozen Peas
- Unrefined sea salt: Redmond’s is my favorite salt.
- Pepper
- Lemon juice: A bit of lemon juice adds a lovely bit of brightness to this hearty beef stew.
How to make homemade beef stew on the stove
Heat the dutch oven over medium-high heat. Melt cooking fat, swirling to coat the bottom.
Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides. It should take 2-3 minutes per side. Remove meat from the pan and keep warm.
Once all the meat is browned, add onions to the pan and cook until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Return the meat to the pan, along with the bone broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour with the lid on, stirring occasionally.
Once the meat is tender, add the potatoes, carrots, red wine, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper to the pan. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 20-30 minutes until the vegetable are easily pierced with a fork.
Add peas and lemon juice to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and herb sprigs.
Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
Serve in individual bowls.
What is the secret to good stew?
To make a really great stew, there are a few steps that you want to make sure you take.
First, be sure to get a good sear on the meat when browning it. This will help to lock in the flavor and the juices. While it may seem like a step you can skip, please don’t!! Really searing the meat takes a bit of time but the results are worth the effort.
Secondly, cooking the meat alone in the bone broth first will ensure that the meat is tender. No one wants to eat stew that has tough meat. if after an hour the meat is not tender, give it a little more cooking time before adding in the next ingredients.
Lastly, make sure you have added enough unrefined salt. If your homemade beef stew doesn’t taste as good as you hoped, add more salt. I suggest adding 1/4 teaspoon at a time.
Meal prep tips
Meal prep for this homemade beef stew recipe can be a few ways.
The first option is to prep all the ingredients ahead of time. Store them in separate containers until you are ready to cook. You can store the onion and garlic together, as well as the potatoes, carrots, and herbs.
Another option is to cook the meat ahead to time. Then on the day you will be having beef stew, reheat the beef to a simmer, finishing cooking the recipe as stated.
Lastly, you can make the homemade beef stew recipe entirely during your meal prep session. Reheat it when needed. I suggest adding the lemon juice after it has been reheated.
How to store
Store beef stew in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can be stored in the dutch oven or in an airtight container.
What is the best way to reheat beef stew?
Reheat beef stew by placing it on the stove over medium-low heat until it has come to a simmer. Stir frequently so it does not burn on the bottom.
Save this recipe on Pinterest! And be sure to tag me on social media when you make and share it!
Homemade Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds grass-fed beef stew meat or chuck roast cut into 1 1/2" cubes
- 2 tbsp butter (see note)
- 1 onion diced, 1 cup
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-3 cups Beef Broth
- 3 cups diced potatoes, 1" cubes
- 3 cups carrots, 1/2" thick coins
- 1 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dried
- 2 sprigs rosemary or 2 tsp dried
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt, devided
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Heat the dutch oven over medium-high heat. Melt cooking fat, swirling to coat the bottom.
- Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides. It should take 2-3 minutes per side. Remove meat from the pan and keep warm.
- Once all the meat is browned, add onions to the pan and cook until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Return the meat to the pan, along with the bone broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour with the lid on, stirring occasionally.
- Once the meat is tender, add the potatoes, carrots, red wine, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper to the pan. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 20-30 minutes until the vegetable are easily pierced with a fork.
- Add peas and lemon juice to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and herb sprigs.
- Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve in individual bowls.
Notes
You can substitute other healthy fats for the butter. Ghee, avocado oil, or coconut oil are also great options.
Be sure to add enough salt to the beef stew, it will ensure the flavor is great.
