Hearty Beef Stew 🐄🍲
This rich and flavourful stew is made with tender beef, mushrooms, onions, and a hearty stock-based sauce. Perfect for cosy family meals, this version of the classic is completely alcohol-free while still delivering all the comfort and depth you crave!
Ingredients:
🥩 Beef Stewing Steak: 800g, cut into large chunks
🧂 Salt and Pepper: To season
🌾 Plain Flour: 2 tbsp
🛢️ Sunflower Oil: 2 tbsp
🧈 Butter: 25g
🧅 Shallots or Pearl Onions: 200g, peeled
🍄 Mushrooms: 250g, halved
🧄 Garlic: 2 cloves, minced
🥕 Carrots: 2 medium, thickly sliced
🍅 Tomato Purée: 2 tbsp
🌱 Thyme: 1 tsp, dried (or a few sprigs fresh)
🌿 Bay Leaf: 1
🍲 Beef Stock: 600ml
🍅 Tinned Chopped Tomatoes: 200g
Method:
🔪 Prep the Beef: Season the beef chunks with salt and pepper, then dust them lightly with flour.
🍳 Brown the Meat: Heat the sunflower oil in a large casserole dish over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.
🧈 Cook the Vegetables: Lower the heat to medium, add the butter, and sauté the shallots, mushrooms, garlic, and carrots. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden.
🥄 Build the Flavour: Stir in the tomato purée, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 1–2 minutes to release the aromatics.
🍲 Combine and Simmer: Return the browned beef to the pot. Pour in the beef stock and tinned tomatoes, stirring well to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the casserole dish and simmer for 2–2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the sauce is rich.
🌡️ Thicken the Sauce: Remove the lid in the final 30 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken, if needed. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
🍽️ Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread, creamy mashed potatoes, or buttered noodles for a complete meal.
Serving Information:
⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes
⏱ Cooking Time: 2.5 hours
⏱ Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
🍴 Servings: 4–6
🔥 Calories: ~350 per serving
This hearty and wholesome stew is perfect for warming up on chilly days! Dig in and enjoy. 😋✨