Awesome Beef Stew

It has been pretty cold here in Richmond for the past few weeks.  I really enjoy the cooler weather as it allows for me to crank up the stove and oven and get to cooking.  The summertime here is extremely hot and the last thing you ever want to do is add a little extra heat to the house by using the oven.  I have been dreaming about beef stew since last spring and finally it was just the right temperature outside to make it.   This stew is pretty simple to make.  It can be done in a crock pot or simmered on the stove.  After the meat is browned, add the remaining ingredients to the pot and cook.  It is that simple.

Awesome Beef Stew

• 2 pounds stew beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 tbs flour
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 cups beef broth
• 3 cloves garlic, peel and diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 medium/large onion, sliced
• 4 large potatoes, sliced into 1 inch cubes
• 4 large carrots, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 tsp white granulated sugar
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp allspice

Add the cubed beef into a zip top bag and add the flour.  Shake the beef around until all of the edges are coated.

Preheat a large pan or dutch oven over medium/high heat.  Add the vegetable oil and then brown the beef.

Make sure to split the beef up into two or three batches so that it doesn’t overcrowd the pan.  You want the meet to brown nicely.

Remove the meat from the pan.  Add the red wine to de-glaze the pan.  Make sure to use a spatula to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Those little bits add amazing flavor to your dish.

Add all of the ingredients to the pan, including the beef, and bring to a boil.  If you wished to make this in a crock-pot, add the ingredients to a crock-pot and set on low for 6 hours.  Otherwise reduce the heat to your pot and simmer the stew for 2 1/2 hours.

The little amount of flour that we used on the beef will help thicken the stew.  However, if you wish your stew to be thicker you can add 2 tbs of cornstarch to 1/4 cup of water and add it to the pot.  Let it simmer for another 20 minutes and you will have a nice thick stew.

This stew was delicious.

I poured it over a couple of buttermilk biscuits and went to town.  I actually had two bowls.

It was awesome!