Gone All Day Stew

The name says it all. Mix everything into a covered roasting pan, slide it into the oven, and walk away for four to five hours. No browning the beef, no sautéing the vegetables, no standing at the stove. This is a true dump-and-bake stew where the low oven temperature does all the work.

Two pounds of beef chunks, potatoes, carrots, quartered onions, celery, and whole mushrooms all go into the pan together. The liquid base is smart: condensed tomato soup whisked with water (or red wine for a richer, deeper flavor) and flour until smooth. The flour thickens the braising liquid as the stew cooks, so by the time it’s done, you’ve got a thick, glossy gravy without any last-minute roux or cornstarch slurry. Beef bouillon cubes, Italian seasoning, and a bay leaf round out the flavor.

The very low oven heat is the whole secret. It’s low enough that nothing burns or sticks to the bottom, but sustained enough over hours to break down the beef into fork-tender chunks and melt the vegetables into the gravy. The covered pan traps all the steam so nothing dries out.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes; it has the marbling that stays moist during long cooking
• Red wine instead of water adds significant depth; use whatever you’d drink
• Whisk the soup-flour-liquid mixture thoroughly before adding to prevent flour lumps in the gravy
• Adjust seasoning when it comes out of the oven; long cooking can mellow salt and spice

Variations

• Guinness stew: Replace the water with dark stout beer
• Root vegetable: Add parsnips and turnips alongside the carrots and potatoes
• Slow cooker: Transfer to a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours instead