Basic Beef Stew

"I know, I know, not another beef stew recipe. But, after reviewing 5 pages of beef stew recipes posted here, this does not appear to be a duplicate. It's our favorite. When I use my pressure cooker it's ready in less than an hour, and the flavor can't be beat. Note for the World Tour participants - stews are an English tradition, and typically include meat and root vegetables. English peas are also very common in British cookery."
 
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photo by PanNan photo by PanNan
photo by PanNan
photo by Lisa G. photo by Lisa G.
photo by Lisa G. photo by Lisa G.
photo by WVCook26003 photo by WVCook26003
photo by PanNan photo by PanNan
Ready In:
1hr 35mins
Ingredients:
16
Serves:
6
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ingredients

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directions

  • In large Dutch oven heat oil over medium heat.
  • Add meat; brown well.
  • Add onion and garlic; saute until transparent.
  • Add 4 cups water (slightly less if using pressure cooker) and tomato sauce.
  • Add bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper.
  • Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.
  • Add carrots, potatoes and peas.
  • Cover and cook 30 minutes on medium low or until vegetables are tender.
  • Add corn starch slurry if sauce is too watery.
  • Bring stew to a boil, stirring constantly.
  • Boil 1 minute.
  • Add Maggi seasoning and serve with crusty rolls.
  • **Note-Time can be reduced if cooking in a pressure cooker.
  • However, please check your pressure cooker instruction booklet for proper times.
  • Each pressure cooker is different.
  • Mine reduces time by 1/3.
  • Some others reduce cooking time by 2/3.

Questions & Replies

  1. Hi there I made my Beef Stew closely to the recipe with a minor tweaks. I usually add Red Wine in for a nice pop of flavor noticed the wine wad bad so since it's already done will adding a tomato sauce or paste still turn out yummy? Any one like to share with me time Thoughts. Thank You
     
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Reviews

  1. WOW great flavor. Ironically, I didnt end up using my pressure cooker, but the meat was wonderfully tender and the gravy was really tasty. I didnt have Maggi seasoning so I used kitchen boquet, a browning/gravy sauce.
     
  2. We really enjoyed this stew! It was easy to prepare, the instructions were clear, and the result was a thick and hearty stew. Next time I make this, I think I'll add some red wine after the meat is browned and the onions tender, then reduce. I think that this would give this dish the depth of flavor that would put it over the top. Thanks for a great recipe, Pan Nan! :)
     
  3. Fallowed the recipe to the letter but at the last minute i made some adjustments to meet our personal taste .It was easy and turned out to be a wonderfull meal that we will do again
     
  4. I cannot thank you enough for this recipe. Minus the garlic,thyme,peas,Maggi & corn starch this is my moms recipe ... She used flour instead of corn starch. My mom passed away 22 years ago this April coming & I never had her stew recipe. My older sister gave me the recipe minus all the instructions. Thank you so very much for posting this !!!!
     
  5. Excellent beef stew recipe. i didn't have any Maggi, so I used Worcestershire Sauce and it turned out awesomely tasty. Mahalo for posting this wonderfully basic comfort food.
     
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Tweaks

  1. Added Broccoli Florets splash of Worcester sauce and instead of the Red Wine added the 8 oz Tomato sauce! I think the kids enjoyed this one better!! More tweaks more fun thanks for sharing!!
     
  2. I cannot thank you enough for this recipe. Minus the garlic,thyme,peas,Maggi & corn starch this is my moms recipe ... She used flour instead of corn starch. My mom passed away 22 years ago this April coming & I never had her stew recipe. My older sister gave me the recipe minus all the instructions. Thank you so very much for posting this !!!!
     
  3. This is a great, basic beef stew and was wonderful for our first chilly day this Autumn (not officially but close). I used 1 lb. of stewing beef and 1 lb. of baby Portobello mushrooms (I added the mushrooms with the carrots and potatoes). The mushrooms gave it a 'meaty feel' so that I could cut down on the meat to appease my husband's low-fat diet but still have a treat with the beef! Also, I used 1 cup of sodium-free, fat-free chicken stock in place of 1 of the cups of water to add more flavor since I eliminated the salt, but added lots of freshly cracked pepper. We loved this stew...we had it with crispy Italian rolls and my husband really enjoyed his treat. Thanks for another great recipe PanNan :) JJ
     
  4. This is easy and good! I made a few adaptations based on experiences with other recipes: 1/ I tossed the beef cubes in flour with a bit of salt and pepper before browining them, 2/ I added 1 cup of red wine in lieu of one cup of water, and 3/ I used frozen green beans (whole) which I had on hand, instead of the peas. I did not use cornstarch or maggi, but I think the flour I did use at the browning stage helps to make a bit of a thicker sauce. It was a nice thick stew. Will definitely use this recipe again. Thanks Pan Nan!!!
     

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