Beef stew works best when cooked over low heat for a long time, so this dish is perfect when cooked on the stove. A traditional beef stew is made from cuts of beef like a chuck roast, but you can also make a slow-cooking beef stew using meatballs made from beef. Keep reading to learn more about how to cook different types of beef stew in your skillet.
Ingredients
Traditional Beef Stew
For 6 servings
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 lb (900 g) boiled pork, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) square pieces
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) paprika
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) beef stock
- 3 potatoes, cut into squares
- 4 carrots, sliced
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
Irish Beef Stew
For 4 to 6 servings
- 2 lb (900 g) light brown potatoes, cut into -inch (1.25 cm) dice
- 2 lb (900 g) baby red potatoes, cut into -inch (1.25-cm) dice
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 to 5 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) pieces
- 1 medium sized onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 lb (900 g) beef stew, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter
- 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) red wine
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) Irish beer
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon (7.5 ml) dry thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) corn starch
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
- Salt and black pepper for taste
Beef Stew with Meatballs
For 4 servings
- 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) black pepper
- 4 medium-sized potatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) pieces
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried basil
Step
Method 1 of 3: Traditional Beef Stew
Step 1. Heat the oil in a large skillet
Pour the oil into a large skillet and heat on the stove over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, make sure that your beef and vegetables are prepared.
- The pork should be cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) dice. You can usually find pre-chopped pork chops in the meat area of the grocery store/supermarket, but if not, you can cut a chuck roast or bottom round yourself.
- Garlic must be ground. If using pre-ground onions, use teaspoon (2.5 ml). If using onion powder, use 1/8 teaspoon (0.625 ml).
- Onions and celery should be coarsely chopped.
- You can use 3 large baked potatoes or 6 to 9 baby potatoes.
- Use 4 standard carrots or 2 cups (500 ml) baby carrots.
Step 2. Coat the beef with flour, salt and pepper
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the beef to the mixture and coat with the seasoning mixture.
- Make sure the flour, salt, and pepper are thoroughly mixed before adding the beef to it.
- Stir the beef well so that the entire cut side is covered. Make sure there is no flour left after that.
- Coating the beef in flour will brown it better and result in a thicker beef stew when it's done cooking.
Step 3. Cook the beef until it is brown
Transfer the coated beef to the hot oil in your skillet. Cook for a few minutes uncovered, stirring frequently until all sides are brown.
This step is optional, so you can skip it if you don't have much time. However, most people choose to do so in order to create a more diverse taste. In addition, this action prevents oil from accumulating in your pan
Step 4. Place the beef stew ingredients in a slow cooker
Transfer the beef to the pot. Layer with potatoes, carrots, celery, and garlic on top. Add the bay leaf, paprika, and soy sauce, then pour the beef stock over all of them.
The exact order of the ingredients doesn't really matter. However, for best results, beef, potatoes, and carrots should be the bottom three layers as these ingredients require the most heat to cook. Remember that the hot element of the pan is located at the bottom
Step 5. Cook on low heat for 10 to 12 hours
You can also cook this stew over high heat for 4 to 6 hours.
Keep the pot covered while the beef stew is cooking. Slow cookers need to build up heat to cook properly, and heat will not build up if the lid is removed or opened during the cooking process
Step 6. Serve hot
Remove the bay leaf when done and transfer the warm beef stew to a serving bowl.
Keep the pot on low or warm until everyone has tasted the dish
Method 2 of 3: Irish Beef Stew
Step 1. Heat the oil in a large skillet
Pour the olive oil into a large, heavy skillet and heat over the stove over medium to medium-high heat.
You will need a hot skillet to brown the beef and to make the sauce
Step 2. Put the vegetables in your pan
Place the potato wedges on the bottom, followed by the carrots, celery, and onions.
Potatoes must be peeled, washed and chopped. The rest of the vegetables should be cleaned and chopped
Step 3. Season the beef
Sprinkle beef with a little salt and pepper.
- Rinse the beef and pat dry before you season it.
- You can buy beef that has been cut in the meat area of the grocery store/supermarket. Alternatively, you can cut a chuck roast or bottom round into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.
Step 4. Make the beef brown
Place beef in a saucepan with hot oil and cook uncovered until all sides are brown.
- This will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the beef periodically so that all sides are brown.
- The beef doesn't need to be browned first, but if you do this, you'll get a richer flavor and prevent the oil from building up in the pan later.
Step 5. Cook the garlic
Add the garlic to the hot pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- If you're using pre-minced garlic, use 1 teaspoons (7.5 ml). If using garlic powder, use about teaspoon (2.5 ml).
- Don't let the garlic burn.
Step 6. Put your beef in the pot
Transfer the entire contents of the skillet to a slow cooker, including the beef and garlic.
Make sure the beef is on top of the vegetables. You don't need to stir the beef and vegetables together
Step 7. Make the stew sauce
Add the butter to the skillet and let it melt. Also add beef stock, red wine, beer, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, and thyme. Boil for 2 minutes and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Use a wooden spoon to stir these ingredients all the way to the bottom of the pan. The liquid will melt the coating in the pan, enriching the taste.
- Let the sauce simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Lower the heat to low and let it simmer slightly for 10 minutes.
- Season with a little extra salt and pepper. Stir well to mix it up.
Step 8. Thicken the sauce
In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together. Stir this mixture into the sauce and heat until it boils slightly.
Once the sauce boils, the corn starch will thicken the sauce
Step 9. Add the sauce to the slow cooker
Pour the sauce into the saucepan, allowing it to soak between the vegetables and beef.
Squeeze the bay leaf between the pieces of beef on the surface of a slow cooker
Step 10. Cook for 6 to 9 hours on low heat
Alternatively, cook the beef stew over high heat for 4 to 6 hours.
Keep the slow cooker covered while the beef stew is cooking. Opening the lid will let the heat out, thus interfering with the cooking process
Step 11. Serve warm
Remove the bay leaf and pour the beef stew into each serving bowl.
- Let the pot sit on low or warm heat until everyone has served.
- If needed, remove the fat on the surface of the beef stew before serving.
Method 3 of 3: Beef Stew with Meatballs
Step 1. Combine beef, salt and pepper
Place ground beef, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt, and teaspoon (1.25 ml) black pepper in a large bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix these spices with the beef.
The best way to mix the beef and the spices is with clean hands, but you can use a wooden mixing spoon if you prefer
Step 2. Make the meatballs
Shape the pork mixture into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls using your hands.
You can use a melon baller or a small spoon to shape the meatballs
Step 3. Cook the meatballs until they are brown
Place the meatballs in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until brown.
- Make sure the meatballs are brown on all sides. Stir periodically while cooking it.
- You don't need to add oil to the pan to brown the meatballs. The fat in the beef will melt into quite a liquid, even when you use the lean ground beef.
- Dry when you're done.
Step 4. Place the vegetables and meatballs in a saucepan
Layer with potatoes, carrots and onions on the bottom. Put the meatballs on it.
Potatoes and carrots should be placed in the bottom of the slow cooker because they require more heat to cook. The heat element in a slow cooker is on the bottom, so the bottom of the pan is the hottest part
Step 5. Pour the remaining ingredients into a slow cooker
Combine the water, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, basil, and remaining salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Pour this mixture over the meatballs and vegetables.
You don't need to stir the sauce into the ingredients in the pan. Let the sauce soak into the ingredients on its own
Step 6. Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours
If you need to prepare the dish more quickly, cook it over high heat for 4 hours.
Leave the lid on in the slow cooker the entire time. Lifting the lid can cause heat to escape, thereby prolonging the required cooking time
Step 7. Serve warm
Pour the beef stew with meatballs into each serving bowl.
