Hearty Beef Stew for the Soul

By: Monique Brown-Carey

Growing up, the colder months were always a delight in my home. It sparked the occasion for hearty meals such as soups and roasts, and of course, the seasonal baked goods. My mother has always been an excellent cook to say the least, but even then, it doesn’t give her the credit she deserves. It was the chillier months, closer to the holiday season, that she would put her all into food. One of my favorite dishes she would make was a hearty beef stew, loaded with meat and chock-full of carrots and potatoes, all lingering with incredible aromatics of garlic, celery, onions, bay leaves, and red wine.

As I began to cook for myself more often, I began craving that stew as I entered the fall semesters of university. After consulting with my mother, I learned how she carefully crafted the dish to give it that warm, uplifting feeling that I needed as I approached finals. While the measurements were never quite exact, she always told me that measuring with your heart is what makes it so customizable to you and gives it the flavor and feeling that you desire. Ever since learning how to integrate this recipe into my cooking, it’s given me the reminders and memories of my mother’s craftsmanship in the kitchen, and the skills that she’s shared with her family. And now—it’s up to me to pass on these skills and recipes to my loved ones.

Ingredients:

*Stew

2 lbs. stew meat (cleaned and patted dry)
5 large russet or Yukon gold potatoes (cut into chunks)
1 lbs. carrots (sliced)
1 cup celery (sliced)
1 green or red bell pepper (diced)
8 oz. white mushrooms (sliced)
14.5 oz. canned stewed tomatoes
3 tbsp. tomato paste
4 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
½ yellow onion (diced)
2 bay leaves
2 rosemary sprigs
1 cup red wine
3 cups beef broth
Olive oil

*Beef broth

3 cups warm water
3 teaspoons beef-flavored bouillon

*Seasoning

Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
Seasoning salt (to taste)
Browning sauce (to taste)
Liquid smoke (to taste)

Directions:

Prepare beef broth by combining warm water and beef bouillon in a cup, and mix until dissolved.

Drizzle olive oil in a large pot, bring to medium-high heat, then toss in stew meat in ½ lbs. batches, sear on all 4 sides until meat reaches a deep brown color. Remove from heat and set aside. Do not wipe the pan. Reduce the heat to medium.

Add garlic and sauté until lightly brown, about 45 seconds. Add onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and celery, and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté until softened, about 1-2 minutes.

Pour in red wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Add cooked stew meat, stewed tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, and rosemary. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 2 hours, covered.

After 2 hours, stir in potatoes and carrots. Season stew to taste using the ones listed above, then cover and allow to simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, turn off the heat and allow the stew to sit for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Coug Eats