This is a classic for a reason. You can find the whole recipe with step-by-step instructions right here:
https://jeremypotvin.substack.com/p/classic-beef-stew-the-winter-warmer
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 3.5 hours
Servings: +8
Ingredients
4 pounds beef (a mixture of beef cheeks, chuck, and shanks)
1 pound beef sugar bones
5 shallots, halved and peeled
4-5 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 cloves garlic, smashed and diced
1 bunch thyme, tied with butcher's twine
2–3 bay leaves
½ bottle red wine (Chianti works well)
3–4 medium carrots, peeled and diced on an angle
~3 litres beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
½ cup flour (for coating the meat)
Olive oil or beef tallow (for browning)
Optional: Cornstarch slurry for thickening
Equipment
Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
Wooden spoon or spatula
Butcher’s twine
Large mixing bowl
Ladle
Chef’s knife
Method
Step One: Prepare the Beef
Place the chuck and sugar bones in a large mixing bowl.
Cube the cheeks to roughly the same size as the chuck pieces, and place them in the mixing bowl.
Using a sharp knife, carefully remove the meat from the shanks and cube it the same size as the other pieces. Place the shank bones and meat in the mixing bowl.
Toss the beef and bones in kosher salt first, and then add the 1/2 cup of flour. Toss until evenly coated.
Step Two: Brown the Meat and Bones
Heat olive oil or beef tallow in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Brown the beef in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the beef and set aside.
Step Three: Sauté the Vegetables
In the same pot, add the halved shallots cut-side down and cook until caramelized.
Add the diced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the red wine and deglaze the pot by scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Reduce the wine by about one-third.
Step Four: Stock and Seasoning
Return the browned beef and sugar bones to the pot. Pour in enough beef stock to fully cover the meat.
Add the carrots, thyme bundle, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, a generous pinch of salt, and a few good cracks of ground pepper.
Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 2½ hours.
Step Five: Potatoes and Finish
Remove all of the bones. Make sure to pull any bone marrow out first, and then discard the bones. Add the bone marrow back into the stew.
Check the tenderness of the beef. It should be nice and soft at this point. If not, you could delay the next step for another 30-45 minutes.
Add the potatoes and bring the heat up to medium low. Cover and simmer for another 45 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
If you prefer a thicker stew, as I do, stir in a cornstarch slurry.
Mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with about a cup of cold water and whisk so there are no lumps.
Add it to the stew, bring the liquid up to a quick boil and then reduce to medium-low again. Let thicken for another ~10 minutes.
Serve with some warmed sourdough baguette slices or some King’s Hawaiian dinner rolls and a little bit of butter.
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