Soups
Beef Stew
Beef stew jazzed up with from-scratch seasoning and a few chugs of beer. Reliable, beefy and a huge crowd pleaser.
At a glance
What stands out: This from-scratch beef stew recipe is jazzed up with from-scratch seasoning and a few chugs of beer. The stew is beefy with big chunky vegetables, and it’s a huge crowd pleaser.
How long it takes: 20 minutes to prep, 3 hours to cook
Equipment you’ll need: Dutch oven or large heavy pan
Servings: 8
beef stew
Our from-scratch beef stew is heavy on the beef, and it’s just the way our husband likes it (okay, us too!). It’s rich and flavorful thanks to from-scratch beef stew seasoning, beer, and tomato paste. There are plenty of vegetables, too, to keep everyone happy!
We make this stew without potatoes because we like to serve it with mashed potatoes. We know that for many of you, a stew without potatoes isn’t stew. Please feel free to throw in a couple of diced potatoes to cook in the stew if you want!
A big bowl of steaming beef stew, along with creamy mashed potatoes, means comfort is on its way. If it happens to be too warm to enjoy beef stew where you are right now, tuck this recipe away for next winter, or crank up the AC and make this beef stew anyways. It’s that good and definitely worth making any time of year!
- Yield: 8
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: 3 hours
- Total: 3 hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pounds beef chuck roast (fat trimmed, cut into large bite-sized chunks)
- 8 to 10 tablespoons beef stew seasoning
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or any oil for frying)
- 4 carrots, sliced (about 2 cups)
- 4 stalks celery, sliced (about 2 cups)
- 1 to 2 large onions, chopped ( 1 ½ to 2 cups)
- 2 ounces tomato paste
- 12 ounces beer (see note)
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes (undrained, broken into pieces)
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 2 cups frozen peas
- salt and pepper (as desired)
Method
- In a large bowl, toss meat with seasoning mixture, about 2 tablespoons of seasoning per one pound of meat. Note: The homemade seasoning mixture contains flour (see note).
- In large heavy bottomed pan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Working in batches, brown meat on all sides and remove to a plate or bowl. Repeat until all meat is browned.
- Add carrots, celery and onion to hot pan and brown for 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to break up the paste and coat the vegetables.
- Pour beer into hot pan and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add meat, tomatoes and beef broth.
- Bring stew to a boil, and then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook on low for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The stew should be simmering lightly. If it's boiling, reduce the heat.
- Add peas about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Taste the stew, and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
What kind of beer to use: Brown ales, porters, or stout beers are a standby choices. They have a rich slightly sweet flavor. Avoid IPAs or other hoppy beers which can add a bitter note.
Potatoes: Unlike many stew recipes, this stew does not contain potatoes. We like to serve stew with mashed potatoes. If you want, feel free to add cubed potatoes to the stew. You can also add a few extra vegetables or use less. Whether you use potatoes or not, or how many veggies you add is somewhat subjective. Make the stew the way you like it!
Beef stew seasoning: Our from-scratch beef stew seasoning blend is what makes this stew stand out. It contains a variety of spices and dried herbs, along with flour, so it’s all ready to make a standby beef stew you’ll ever have! We keep this seasoning blend in our pantry, ready to use. It works for other meats, too.
Storage: Leftover stew can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Because this stew is made without potatoes, it freezes well, too, for up to 3 months (potatoes tend to get mushy when frozen).
