Dutch Oven Beef Stew

Dutch Oven Beef Stew is far and away the most delicious option for keeping warm in the cold winter months. This one, in particular, is deeply flavorful -- we're talking pure, unadulterated comfort food. Picture this: tender, succulent beef, carrots, potatoes, and peas in a savory, rich broth. This beef stew is extra-hearty with perfect consistency.

My husband and our comfort food-loving daughter couldn't get enough of this stew. They said it was the best they've ever had and were so happy to have it on night one but didn't waste one drop of the delicious leftovers either.

A steamy bowl of this Dutch oven beef stew alongside fresh baked rolls or a big pan of homemade cornbread is beyond satisfying.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Thanks to the Dutch oven, this stew recipe is flavor upon flavor upon flavor. It all starts with the beefy building block: chuck roast. Browning the beef is such a massive flavor boaster; don't skip this step! Once the beef is browned, the veggies take a turn in all the beefy goodness left behind in the pan.

The flour-to-beef-broth ratio is so important when it comes to the consistency of stew. Honestly, I'm bothered by the top hits of beef stew online that are actually pot roast. This recipe is not pot roast. Beef stew has a thicker consistency, and our recipe is spot on when it comes to that.

When developing our stew, we wanted a beef stew gravy that would cling to spoon with all stew vibes--just a little thinner than gravy. However, if you're looking for a thinner broth with larger chunks of vegetables, take the pot roast route.

In addition to the perfect stew consistency, we add tomato paste and balsamic vinegar as the heavy hitters in the flavor department along with fresh herbs.

Ingredients

Chuck Roast | The chuck roast is the optimal choice meat for slow cooking in a Dutch oven. The marbling and fat add to the big flavor as well as the tender, juicy texture of the meat. It's not the same as rump roast, which is actually sirloin, and receives much more movement on the cow, thus making it a less tender cut of meat. While rump roast can still work for a recipe like this, chuck is the most popular choice for beef stew. We also use chuck roast in our braised beef and beef tips and rice recipe!

Oil | We use avocado or canola oil for this recipe. You need an oil with a high smoke point for searing beef.

Vegetables | This stew calls for the traditional beef stew veggies like onion, carrots, celery, and baby gold potatoes. Adding peas makes for a great pop of color and added nutrition.

Seasoning | A simple spice blend of Kosher salt and black pepper, along with fresh garlic is a classic, yet powerful combo. We also can't recommend a few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary enough. If you don't have fresh herbs on hand, use two bay leaves instead.

Tomato Paste + Balsamic Vinegar | The combination of these two ingredients brightens up the rich, fatty flavors of the beef. If you have a bold, red wine on hand, you can nix these ingredients and add 1 cup of red wine to your stew instead.

Beef Broth | Broth is excellent for amping up the beefy flavor of the stew. Be sure to purchase low sodium or unsalted broth for full sodium control.

Flour | This is a very important ingredient for getting your stew to the "just right" consistency. Be sure to use all-purpose flour only for this recipe.

How to Make Beef Stew in a Dutch Oven

Prepare Chuck Roast | Using a large, sharp knife, cut your stew meat into chunks about 1-1.5 inches in size. This ensures that the meat cooks evenly and becomes tender without falling apart. It's also important to note as you prep the meat that it will slice easier if cold! From there, add the beef cubes to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to massage the oil, seasoning the meat all over.

Pan-Sear the Beef | Preheat oven to 325° F. While your oven warms, over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil to your Dutch oven. As soon as the oil has come to temperature, add a single layer of the beef cubes and sear for about 6 minutes, turning halfway through. Be sure to brown the meat in batches. This step adds so much flavor to the dish! Follow this step until all of the beef cubes are browned, then transfer to a bowl or plate.

Tip: If you have leftover chuck roast, don't let it go to waste! Use it for next-day lunches and make a gourmet roast beef sandwich.

Sauté Vegetables | Add your onions, carrots, and celery to the Dutch oven and sauté briefly to evenly coat with oil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and allow to cook for 5 minutes or just until barely softened. Add the garlic and sauté uncovered for an additional minute or so. 

Add Flour to Vegetables | Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until evenly coated.

Add Beef Broth | Slowly add the beef broth about a ½ cup at a time, stirring until smooth after each addition.

Add Tomato Paste, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, + Pepper | Next, add the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, a ½ teaspoon of salt, and a ½ teaspoon of pepper. Stir to combine.

Add Beef, Potatoes, Rosemary, + Thyme | Add the beef back to the Dutch oven, along with the potatoes, rosemary, and thyme. (Pro tip: if you have butcher's twine, bundle the herbs together before adding to the Dutch oven. This step makes them so much easier to fish out later.) Then, cover, transfer to the oven, and cook for 1-½ hours. Remove from the oven, stir, cover, and return to the oven to cook for another hour.

Add Peas + Allow to Rest | Remove from the oven, stir in the peas, cover, and allow to sit for about 20 minutes.

Discard Stems | Discard the thyme and rosemary stems, garnish with parsley (if desired), serve, and enjoy!

What to Serve with Beef Stew

Keep it simple with a house salad or elevate the meal with a gourmet pear and walnut salad. To make it feel like you're at a restaurant, whip up a wedge salad with blue cheese dressing.

Beef stew is always great with something bready to sop up that yummy gravy, so jalapeno cornbread, garlic bread, biscuits, and potato rolls, hit every delicious, carby mark.

And if you're looking for another cozy, beefy Dutch oven one-pot meal for cold nights, add Texas chili to your menu. Just don't forget the toppings!

How to Store Beef Stew

Store | Keep in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3-4 days. You can also store in the Dutch oven in the fridge once the Dutch oven is cooled.

Freeze | Allow the stew to cool, then place in a freezer-safe airtight container with little headspace. Freeze for 2-3 months.

Reheat | There are a couple of reheating options for beef stew.

1. Microwave: Start at 1 minute and add 30-second increments from there.
2. Oven: At 350° F, reheat your stew in the Dutch oven. How long to reheat it depends on how much you're reheating. Check after 10 minutes and add time from there if needed. If reheating from frozen, it's best to allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.