Ranch Stew

This beef stew starts in the oven, not on the stovetop. Bite-sized beef gets browned low and slow in a baking dish, which builds deep flavor without the fuss of searing in batches on the stove. After an hour of covered baking, the meat is fall-apart tender.

The vegetables cook separately on the stovetop: carrots first since they take longest, then potatoes, then pearl onions and frozen peas join the pot. Everything meets up in the baking dish for a final 20 minutes together, giving the flavors a chance to marry.

Whole wheat flour thickens the vegetable cooking liquid into a gravy with a slightly nutty flavor and more body than white flour would give. A tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce rounds it all out with savory depth.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir the beef occasionally during the initial browning. The slow oven does the work, but stirring ensures even color on all sides.
• Add the potatoes after the carrots have had a head start. Potatoes cook faster and will turn to mush if they go in at the same time.
• Mix the whole wheat flour with a little cold water before adding to the hot liquid. Dumping dry flour into hot liquid creates lumps that won’t dissolve.
• The frozen peas go in last and only need to heat through. Overcooking peas turns them army green and mealy.

Variations

• Add a can of diced tomatoes to the gravy for a richer, more acidic sauce.
• Swap pearl onions for chunks of parsnip or turnip for a root vegetable-heavy version.
• Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste with the Worcestershire sauce for deeper color and umami.