I’ll be the first to admit I love the autumn time change. It always takes some getting used to on my part, especially when I’m driving home from work and it feels like it’s past midnight. But I love looking at the clock at 7 PM and knowing I have a long, lazy evening ahead of me. Usually this involves the couch, a down comforter, and a Netflix (and Walt and Goose, of course!). So what’s for dinner?
What better comfort food to enjoy on these crisp November evenings than a big pot of savory beef stew. I planned ahead and made this on a Sunday night; it simmered away in the oven while we finished up leftovers in the fridge. The great thing about this dish is that it tastes even better the next day, so after a long Monday at work, it was the perfect meal to come home to. Just reheat on the stove. Serve with mashed potatoes, white rice, or crusty bread, so long as you have something to sop up all those delicious juices.
And since I’m only cooking for two, we had tasty leftovers to get us through the week. Brown bagging doesn’t get much better than this!
BEEF STEW
Source: America’s Test Kitchen
1 (3 pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes (5 medium), scrubbed and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
4 carrots, peeled and and sliced thin
Adjust oven rack to the lower middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees.
Dry the beef with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown the meat in batches (in order to not overcrowd the pan), and transfer to a plate.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the empty pot and lower to medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Slowly stir in the wine, scraping up any (delicious) browned bits. Stir in the broth, thyme, bay leaves, a large pinch of salt, and browned beef along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for an hour.
Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Cover and continue to cook in the oven until beef is tender, about 1 hour.
Remove the pot from the oven and discard the bay leaves. Season liberally with salt and pepper. YIELDS: 6-8 servings
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