The Best Beef Stew
Fork-tender beef stew braised low and slow in beer with caramelized onions, tomatoes, and browned mushrooms. A hearty Dutch oven comfort meal that’s worth every minute.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
3 hrsThis is beef stew done right, the kind where you take your time and every step builds more flavor.
Onions get cooked low and slow until they’re golden and sweet. Flour-dusted beef gets seared hard in batches until deeply browned on all sides. Beer goes into the hot pan and pulls up all those crusty bits stuck to the bottom.
Everything comes together in a Dutch oven with canned tomatoes, oregano, and thyme, then braises in the oven until the meat practically falls apart at the touch of a fork.
Thickly sliced mushrooms get browned separately and stirred in at the end, so they keep their bite instead of going soft.
Chef Tips
- Use boneless short rib, blade, or rump roast for the most flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth results
- Brown the meat in batches with space between each piece. Crowding the pan creates steam instead of a sear
- Reduce the beer by one-third before adding it back. This concentrates the flavor and cooks off any harsh boozy edge
- Browning the mushrooms in a separate skillet gives them a proper sear and keeps the stew from getting watery
Ingredients
Directions
- boneless short rib, blade or rump roast In large dutch oven or oven-proof casserole with lid, heat half the butter and oil over medium heat. Cook onions until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Cook 7 to 10 minutes or until very tender and golden. Remove onions; set aside. Wipe casserole. Lightly coat meat in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining butter and oil in casserole over medium high heat. Add meat in batches (pieces should not touch) and brown well on both sides. Add to onions. Pour off any fat. Add beer and bring to boil, stirring to scrape up brown bits from bottom. Simmer beer over medium heat until reduced by one-third, about three minutes. Return onions and beef to casserole, along with tomatoes and their juices, oregano, thyme, and salt. Cover snugly. Cook in preheated 325℉ (160℃) oven 1 ¾ to 2 hours or until meat is fork tender. Heat olive oil in heavy skillet. Add mushrooms. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, turning at intervals, until nicely browned. Add to stew. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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