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    Home » Dinner » Beef Recipes

    Dutch Oven Beef Stew

    Published: Jan 2, 2021 · by Elizabeth Waterson · This post may contain affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Confessions of a Baking Queen!

    Jump to Recipe

    This classic beef stew recipe has step-by-step photos to teach you how to cook this heartwarming dinner. This hearty dutch oven beef stew starts by searing the beef for extra delicious flavor then the majority of the cooking is done in the oven. Full of tender meat, potatoes, carrots, and the best, flavorful almost gravy-like broth!

    beef stew in a bowl with a spoon next to a white stripped linen on a light brown surface

    Living in Southern California we are blessed with "great" weather all year long. Super chilly nights are few and far between, but that doesn't stop us from wanting a warm, hearty dinner once in a while. That is exactly what this Dutch-oven beef stew is.

    The recipe comes together quite easily, you do a bit of cooking on the stovetop then you transfer it all to the oven to slow-cook this is where the meat will tenderize to melt-in-your-mouth perfection!

    Let's get to the recipe

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • How to freeze
    • Can you double
    • More comfort food recipes
    • Recipe Card
    • Recipe Ratings & Comments

    Ingredients

    For this tasty stew recipe you will need:

    • Olive Oil. You can use your favorite cooking oil to sautee the beef. I always use olive oil or avocado oil, both work perfectly!
    • Beef Stew Meat. Most butchers or meat counters will have a "stew meat' prepared or you can buy something like beef chuck and chop it into 1" beef cubes. Stew meat is usually tougher pieces of meat, with lots of tough connective tissue that when cooked down for hours becomes incredibly tender and great flavor.
    beef stew meat unwrapped from butcher paper
    • Salt and Pepper. I have a guided amount in the recipe but with any recipe you should salt and pepper to taste. If you taste something and it tastes as if it needs a little something extra it probably needs a little more salt!
    • Onions. Just good old workhorse yellow or brown onions are needed. My favorite trick is to slice them next to the stove with an open flame so you don't cry like a baby cutting them!!
    • Garlic Cloves. I use six garlic cloves in the recipe but feel free to add a couple more if you love garlic.
    • Tomato Paste. Talk about flavor bomb.
    • All-Purpose Flour. The flour helps give the stew a base to thicken up nicely.
    • Dry Red Wine. I use whatever I have open or open a new bottle for the stew and keep drinking while it cooks! Haha. Pinot Noir or Cabernet are perfect choices. I do not advise using boxed "cooking wine."
    • Broth. You can use any beef, veggie, or chicken. For this recipe when I photographed it I used low-sodium chicken stock.
    • Water. I prefer filtered water, but you do you!
    • Bay Leaves. Can't have stew without bay leaves!
    • Carrots. I usually take carrots and peel and chop into ½" pieces, but when I photographed this recipe I had a ton of baby carrots in the fridge that needed using up so I just cut those in half.
    • Potatoes. Baby potatoes are ideal because you only need to cut them in half but for this recipe when I photographed I had a bag full of yellow Dutch potatoes to use so I cut into ½" chunks, just something roughly bite-sized.
    • Balsamic Vinegar. I find adding a few splashes at the end to bring all of the flavors together.

    Sometimes I add in frozen peas at the end- when I take the stew out of the oven and let it sit for ten minutes.

    I use a Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven but this Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven is a great deal.

    close up of beef stew in a white bowl with a gold spoon on a light brown surface

    Instructions

    This stew starts off by cooking on the stovetop and then finishes cooking in the oven which is what makes using the Dutch oven so perfect! One dish, less mess!!

    Start by preheating the oven to 300F/148C and place a large Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat. When the pot has warmed add one tablespoon of oil. 

    beef stew meat seared in dutch oven then moved to a bowl to rest

    While the pot is warming season the stew meat with salt and pepper then add ⅓ of the meat into the hot pan to sear the beef, let it cook for a couple of minutes then flip, you want a nice dark brown sear on all edges.

    Then transfer the cooked meat to a large bowl. Repeat this step two more times until all of the meat has browned. You need to cook the meat in batches because if the pan is too crowded the beef will not brown properly. 

    onions and garlic cooked together in a dutch oven sitting on a light brown surface

    Once you remove the final batch add the onion to the pot and reduce heat to medium and let the onions cook for 5 minutes or so to soften, stirring occasionally. I like to use the back of my spatula to scratch the bottom of the pan and help move around some of those dark spots from the beef, these are super flavorful!! Once the onions have softened add the garlic and cook for a minute, stirring once.

    tomato paste added to onion mixture in a dutch oven sitting on a light brown surface

    Now add the tomato paste and cook for a minute or two, making sure to mix everything together well. 

    beef and flour added back to dutch oven

    Add the browned beef and its juices back to the pot then sprinkle the flour on top of the beef, mix the beef and flour together with the onion mixture and let cook for 2-3 minutes, until no flour streaks remain. 

    red wine poured into beef stew to deglaze the bottom of the dutch oven

    Now add the wine and again use your spatula to scrape up any dark bits on the bottom of the pan, this is called deglazing the pan.

    water and chicken broth added to beef stew in dutch oven

    Finally add the stock, water, and bay leaves. Mix to fully combine then cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours. 

    bay leaves added to beef stew in dutch oven

    After two hours add the chopped potatoes and carrots and mix to fully immerse them in. Return the Dutch oven to the oven and cook for about another hour, the potatoes should be fork-tender and the meat tender too. 

    carrots and potatoes added to beef stew in dutch oven

    Let the stew cool for at least ten minutes and serve or let cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    There you have it easy Dutch oven beef stew.

    dutch oven beef stew in pot on a light brown surface

    How to freeze

    Let the stew cool for an hour or so then transfer to a freezer safe container, allow an inch or two at the top for expansion. Freeze for up to three months.

    To thaw the stew place the container in the fridge overnight then transfer to large pot and cook over medium-low heat until warmed through.

    You can also take the frozen container and run it under hot water to loosen the stew and transfer to the pot and cook over low-medium heat- this will take a lot longer since the stew is still frozen, ideally let it thaw in the fridge overnight.

    Can you double

    I would not advise doubling the recipe unless you had a very large dutch oven. I use a an oval Le Creuset 6 ¾ qt size.

    dutch oven beef stew in a white bowl  on a light brown surface

    More comfort food recipes

    This time of year I am always in the mood for comfort food.

    This Cottage Pie Recipe is what I grew up on, I absolutely love it and it always disappears when we make it!!

    My Guinness Stew is also a favorite of mine.

    For a slow-cooker beef stew option try my friend Ashleys Honey and Balsamic Beef Stew!

    ★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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    beef stew in a bowl with a spoon next to a white stripped linen on a light brown surface

    Dutch Oven Beef Stew

    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    This classic beef stew recipe has step-by-step photos to teach you how to cook this heartwarming dinner. This hearty dutch oven beef stew starts by searing the beef for extra delicious flavor then the majority of the cooking is done in the oven. Full of tender meat, potatoes, carrots, and the best, flavorful almost gravy-like broth! 

    • Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
    • Yield: 6 Servings 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 3lbs Beef Stew Meat
    • 1 Teaspoon Each of Salt and Pepper
    • 2 Medium Yellow or Brown Onions
    • 6 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
    • 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
    • 3 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
    • 16oz (2 Cups) Dry Red Wine
    • 24oz (3 Cups) Broth, I prefer low-sodium Beef or Chicken
    • 80z (1 Cup) Water
    • 2 Bay Leaves
    • 4 Large Carrots, peeled and chopped into ½" pieces
    • 1 ½ lbs Yellow Potatoes, cut into ½" chunks or baby potatoes, cut in half
    • Additional salt and pepper to taste
    • Balsamic Vinegar to taste

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 300F/148C and place a large Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat. When warm add one tablespoon of oil. 
    2. Season the stew meat with salt and pepper then add ⅓ of the meat into the hot pan to sear the beef, let it cook for a couple of minutes then flip, you want a nice dark brown sear on all edges. Then transfer the cooked meat to a large bowl. Repeat this step two more times until all of the meat has browned. You need to cook the meat in batches because if the pan is too crowded the beef will not brown properly. 
    3. Once you remove the final beef add the onion to the pot and reduce heat to medium and let the onions cook for 5 minutes or so to soften. I like to use the back of my spatula to scratch the bottom of the pan and help move around some of those dark spots from the beef, these are super flavorful!! Once the onions have softened add the garlic and cook for a minute, stirring once. Now add the tomato paste and cook for a minute or two, making sure to mix everything together well. 
    4. Add the beef and its juices back to the pot then sprinkle the flour on top of the beef, mix the beef and flour together with the onion mixture and let cook for 2-3 minutes, until no flour streaks remain. 
    5.  Now add the wine and again use your spatula to scrape up any dark bits on the bottom of the pan, this is called deglazing the pan. Finally add the stock, water, and bay leaves. Mix to fully combine then place the lid on and bake in the oven for 2 hours. 
    6. After two hours add the chopped potatoes and carrots and mix to fully immerse them in. Return the Dutch oven to the oven and cook for about another hour, the potatoes should be fork-tender and the meat tender too. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired and a few splashes of balsamic vinegar.
    7. Let cool for at least ten minutes and serve or let cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Equipment

    Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven, 7-Quart,

    Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven

    Buy Now →
    Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven

    Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven

    Buy Now →
    • Author: Elizabeth Waterson I Confessions of a Baking Queen
    • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
    • Cook Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Cook
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: easy beef stew recipe, how to make beef stew, best beef stew recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @confessionsofabakingqueen on Instagram and hashtag it #cbqbakes

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    1. Rainy says

      January 06, 2021 at 11:18 am

      This is such a feel good meal!!! Always hearty and fills my whole family up.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Elizabeth Waterson says

        January 07, 2021 at 8:17 am

        Thank you so much for coming back to rate and review the recipe Rainy, I am so grateful!! This is one of our family favorites this time of year, so tasty! XX Liz

        Reply
    2. Justine says

      January 30, 2022 at 1:03 pm

      My first time making stew and it came out great!!! Thank you so much for this easy to follow recipe. Can this be frozen and reheated later?

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Elizabeth Waterson says

        January 30, 2022 at 4:39 pm

        Hi Justine, thank you so much for coming back to review and rate the recipe, so pleased you enjoyed it! The freezing instructions are up in the post but I'll put them here as well: To freeze: Let the stew cool for an hour or so then transfer to a freezer safe container, allow an inch or two at the top for expansion. Freeze for up to three months.

        To thaw the stew place the container in the fridge overnight then transfer to a large pot and cook over medium-low heat until warmed through.

        You can also take the frozen container and run it under hot water to loosen the stew transfer it to the pot and cook over low-medium heat- this will take a lot longer since the stew is still frozen, ideally let it thaw in the fridge overnight.

        Good luck!! XX Liz

        Reply

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    Waterson, Elizabeth Cropped Size Photo CAke copy 2

    Hiya! I am Elizabeth Waterson, welcome to my treat-filled site. After spending 15 years in the restaurant industry and growing up baking, I wanted to share my love of baking with you all. My step-by-step tutorials will help you learn how to bake at home. Confessions of a Baking Queen (CBQ) has been featured in CBS LA, HuffPost Taste, BuzzFeed, Taste of Home, and more! Here you will find loads of sweet recipes with a few savory ones for good measure. Feel free to message me with any questions! Happy Baking! 

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