This recipe for Best Ever Beef Stew with a Twist is inspired by my mother-in-law. She made this delicious beef stew before a very long family hike that ended with many of the grown ups, including myself, carrying tired children for the final stretch. Needless to say, we were exhausted and hungry! Luckily, she started this beef stew earlier in the day so it was ready for us to eat when we returned from hiking. This is a classic French beef stew with Puerto Rican flair. By adding sofrito, a staple in Latin Caribbean cuisine, the flavor pops. If you don’t have sofrito, or don’t feel like making it, you can simply omit it, or add the suggested ingredients in the notes below. Looking for more great one-pot recipes? Check out some of my favorites!One-Pot Chicken Pot Pie PastaLemon Garlic Butter Shrimp + PastaGround Beef Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck or stew meat (not lean) cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions, ¼ inch dice
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp sofrito (recipe linked in summary- you can omit this, or simply add 1 tbsp minced cilantro, 2 tsp minced peppers)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups red wine
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 ½ cups water
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound small potatoes, cut in quarters
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks on a diagonal
Instructions
- Spread beef out on a plate and season with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown the meat in small batches (I did it in 3), being sure not to crowd the pot. (This allows the meat to develop a golden brown crust, which is important). For each batch, add one additional tablespoon of olive oil. Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside.
- Add the onions, garlic, sofrito and balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring with and scraping the brown bits from bottom of the pan, for about 3 minutes, until the liquid is reduced. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more. Add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, and let the wine reduce by half, then add the beef broth, water, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover the pot with a lid and reduce to a simmer.
- After 45-60 minutes, add the potatoes and carrots. Simmer for another 20-25 minutes until the beef and vegetables are tender. Discard the bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning.
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