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Main dishes

Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots

Beef stew with potatoes and carrots, slow-cooked until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. Serves 4, ready in 2 hours 10 minutes.

Total time
130 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
Cuisine
Latin American
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Image of Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots

Ingredients

  • For the stew

  • For the vegetables

  • To serve

Method

  1. Prepare the ingredients

    Pat 800 g cubed beef dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 pinch pepper. Chop 1 onion and 3 garlic cloves, and peel 3 potatoes and 3 carrots and cut them into large chunks.

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Prepare the ingredients

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Prepare the ingredients

  2. Brown the beef

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches, without crowding the pot, for 8 minutes in total. When done, return all the beef to the pot.

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Brown the beef

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Brown the beef

  3. Soften the onion and garlic

    Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, garlic and 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring.

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Soften the onion and garlic

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Soften the onion and garlic

  4. Simmer gently

    Pour in 800 ml beef stock, add 1 bay leaf and 1 sprig of thyme, cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 60 minutes.

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Simmer gently

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Simmer gently

  5. Add the vegetables

    Add the potatoes and carrots, cover and cook for 30 minutes more, until tender.

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Add the vegetables

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Add the vegetables

  6. Thicken the sauce

    Uncover the pot and cook for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, until the sauce thickens.

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Thicken the sauce

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Thicken the sauce

  7. Adjust the seasoning

    Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme sprig.

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Adjust the seasoning

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Adjust the seasoning

  8. Serve

    Serve hot in shallow bowls, topped with 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Serve

    Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots: Serve

The step photos are illustrative.

Notes

Choose a stewing cut with some fat and connective tissue (chuck, shin or round): it turns tender with long cooking. Brown the beef in batches; if you crowd the pot, it releases liquid and steams instead of browning. Keep the heat low throughout: if it boils hard, the meat turns tough. If the sauce reduces too much, add a little hot stock. It tastes even better the next day. It keeps up to 3 days in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 3 months, although the potatoes lose some texture.

Nutrition facts

1 serving (1/4 of the recipe)

543Calories · kcal
Protein
45.7 g
Carbohydrates
30 g
Fat
26.5 g
Sodium
869 mg

Estimate per serving. The beef is calculated as raw chuck with fat, and the value varies with the cut and how much fat is trimmed. The stock is calculated as ready-to-serve beef broth, and sodium varies widely by brand. All the oil and all the stock are counted even if some evaporates during cooking.

Reference source: USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy (2018)

For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.

About this recipe

Beef stew with potatoes and carrots is made by browning cubed beef, softening onion, garlic and tomato paste, and simmering the meat gently in stock with bay leaf and thyme until tender. The potatoes and carrots go in next, and the sauce is thickened by uncovering the pot.

The stew takes 2 hours 10 minutes from prep to table, most of it hands-off. It serves 4.

Frequently asked questions

What cut of beef is best for beef stew?

Cuts with some fat and connective tissue, such as chuck, shin or round. With slow cooking they become tender and juicy.

How long does beef stew take to cook?

About 110 minutes of cooking in total: 8 for browning and softening, 60 for the beef, 30 with the potatoes and carrots and 10 to thicken the sauce.

Can you freeze beef stew?

Yes, for up to 3 months in an airtight container. The potatoes lose some texture when thawed; thaw in the fridge and reheat over low heat.

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