Hearty Red Wine Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes

Hearty beef stew with chunks of beef, carrots and baby potatoes in a rich dark gravy, garnished with chives and green beans, served in a white bowl on a rustic white timber table with pieces of crusty bread on the side.

Hearty Red Wine Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes

This Hearty Red Wine Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes is the ultimate one-pot comfort food. Tender chuck steak is slow-cooked in a rich, velvety sauce of red wine, paprika, and herbs with sweet carrots and hearty potatoes. It’s a foolproof, satisfying meal that makes the whole house smell amazing.

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Prep Time:30

Cook Time:2 30

Total Time:3

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French, Western

Keyword: beef stew recipe, hearty beef casserole, one pot beef dinner, red wine beef stew, Slow cooked beef

Servings: 4 to 5

Author: Kate Brodhurst

Equipment

Large Dutch oven or flame-proof casserole dish

Ingredients

1.2kg beef chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes
¼ cup plain flour
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil, divided
3 rashers bacon, roughly diced
6 eschalots, peeled
1 leek, white part only, halved and sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2-3 anchovy fillets in oil, roughly chopped
3 large carrots, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
500ml (2 cups) red wine
1L (4 cups) beef stock
2 bay leaves
4-5 sprigs oregano or thyme
2 teaspoons caster sugar
500g baby chat potatoes (left whole if small or halved if on the larger side)

TO SERVE

Fresh crunchy bread or sourdough
Steamed green beans
Chopped fresh parsley and/or chives
Cracked black pepper

Instructions

Coat The Beef:
In a large freezer bag or bowl, combine the flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Add the beef cubes and toss until evenly coated, then shake off any excess flour. Set the beef aside and reserve the remaining seasoned flour mixture for later.
Brown The Beef:
Preheat oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan forced). Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven (or ovenproof casserole dish with a lid) over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in 2 to 3 batches, adding a little more oil between batches. Once browned, transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
Cook the Aromatics:
In the same pot, add the bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes or until lightly golden. Add the eschalots (or onion), garlic, anchovies (if using), leek, and carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until they start to soften.
Build the Sauce:
Stir in tomato paste and the reserved seasoned flour. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, red wine, and beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the the base of the pot. Return all the beef along with any juices to the pot. Add the bay leaves, herbs, and sugar and bring to a simmer.
Slow Cook:
Cover pot with a tight fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Add the Potatoes:
Remove pot from oven, add the potatoes then cook, uncovered, for a further 1 hour, or until beef and potatoes are tender.
Rest and Serve:
Remove from oven and stand for at least 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chives and cracked black pepper. Serve with fresh crunchy bread and green beans if desired.

Notes

Measurements:
We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Beef:
Chuck steak is perfect for slow cooking. Gravy beef or brisket are also good choices.
Anchovies:
They melt in and add incredible umami depth.(YOU WILL NOT TASTE THEM - I PROMISE) If omitting, a dash of Worcestershire sauce is a good substitute.
Wine:
Use a dry red like cabernet sauvignon or merlot for the best flavour.
Make Ahead & Freeze:
This stew tastes even better the next day. Cool completely and store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Eschalots:
I love the sweet & pungent flavour of eschalots and their size is perfect for leaving whole (most of the time - if you get large ones, just slice them in half). .