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French Beef Stew

The most delicious beef stew you’ll ever make
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: French
Keyword: beef stew, comfort food, french recipe for stew, stew recipe
Servings: 8
Calories: 437kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs top or bottom round cut into large chunks
  • 1 tbs butter
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sliced onions
  • 1 cup carrots
  • 1 1/2 tbs oil
  • 1-3 cups red wine
  • 1 1/2 cups beef stock
  • 1 cup chopped tomato
  • 5 fresh parsley stems
  • 3 whole peppercorns
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2-3 whole cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 2 tbs dry white vermouth
  • 3-4 cooked turnips cut in quarters
  • 5-6 small cooked whole potatoes
  • 1 cup cooked baby carrots

Instructions

  • Heat the 1 tbs butter and 1 tsp oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Brown the meat on all sides. You may have to do this in shifts. Place meat on a plate and set aside.
  • Heat a large (5-6qt/L) dutch/French oven over medium heat. Add the 1 1/2 tbs oil, sliced onions and carrots. Saute until onions are translucent. Add the meat to the dutch oven, then pour in the red wine, chopped tomatoes and enough beef stock so the meat is almost covered (it’s ok if it’s not completely covered).
  • Wrap the parsley stems, peppercorns, fresh thyme, cloves and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth. Tie to secure and drop into the liquid in the pot. Bring to the simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 2-3 hours, or until meat is tender.
  • Place a colander in a large bowl and dump the contents of the dutch oven into the colander, reserving juice. Discard the onions, carrots and bouquet garni (herbs in the cheesecloth).
  • Place the meat back in the dutch oven and add strained juice. Mix the cornstarch and wine/vermouth until smooth. Mix into the hot juice and stir over low heat until thickened. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the cooked turnips, potatoes and carrots and heat through.

Notes

Use any veggie you like with stew. I used carrots, potatoes and turnips.
Fresh herbs are recommended for this since the flavor is better.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 1513mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5035IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 9mg