Meat and Potato Stew is the slow, oven-braised kind: big chunks of beef chuck browned in batches, then braised in red wine and beef broth with onions, garlic, thyme and a touch of balsamic until they fall apart at a touch. Carrots and small potatoes go in for the last hour, so they come out tender but whole, in a rich, thickened gravy. It serves 6.
How to make it: Brown seasoned beef cubes in a Dutch oven, soften the onions and garlic, stir in tomato paste and flour, then add wine, broth, water and herbs. Braise covered at 325°F for 2 hours, add the carrots and potatoes, and braise about 1 hour more until everything is tender.
Why You’ll Love It
- Fall-apart beef: three hours in a gentle oven turns chuck meltingly tender.
- Potatoes that hold their shape: they go in late, so they cook through without turning to mush.
- A gravy with depth: red wine, balsamic and browned bits make a rich, dark sauce.
- Better the next day: it’s a great make-ahead dinner.
Ingredient Notes
Beef chuck: Three pounds of boneless, well-marbled chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Cutting it yourself from a whole chuck roast gives the best flavor and tenderness. Keep a little of the fat.
Potatoes: One pound of small white boiling potatoes, such as baby Yukons, cut in half. Their waxy texture keeps them firm in the stew.
Carrots: Four large carrots, cut on a diagonal into 1-inch chunks.
Red wine, broth and water: Two cups each of dry red wine, regular-strength beef broth and water make the braising liquid.
Flavor builders: Two onions, 7 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste, a bay leaf, dried thyme and a little sugar to round out the wine.
Flour: A quarter cup, stirred into the beef before the liquid goes in. It thickens the gravy as the stew braises.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, well marbled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal
- 1 pound small white boiling potatoes (baby Yukons), cut in half
- Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
How to Make Meat and Potato Stew
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower middle position.
2. Brown the beef. Pat the beef dry and season it with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown the beef in 3 batches, about 5 minutes per batch, adding 1 more tablespoon of oil for each batch after the first. Don’t crowd the pan, and let the beef form a brown crust before you turn it. Move the browned beef to a large plate.
3. Cook the onions and garlic. Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.
4. Add the flour and liquids. Return the beef and its juices to the pot and sprinkle the flour over it. Stir until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme and sugar. Stir to loosen any brown bits and bring to a boil.
5. Braise the beef. Cover the pot, move it to the oven and braise for 2 hours.
6. Add the carrots and potatoes. Take the pot out and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and return it to the oven for about 1 hour more, until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened and the beef is tender.
7. Finish and serve. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve warm, topped with parsley if you like.
When to Add the Potatoes
Yes, you can cook potatoes and meat together, but not for the same amount of time. Beef chuck needs hours to turn tender, while potatoes are done in about an hour. Add them too early and they break down into the gravy. The timing depends on how you cook the stew:
| Method | When the potatoes go in |
|---|---|
| Oven braise (this recipe) | After the beef has braised 2 hours, for about 1 hour more |
| Stovetop simmer | For the last 20 minutes to 1 hour of simmering |
| Slow cooker, low all day | In the last 2 to 3 hours, so they don’t get mushy |
Keep the pieces even. Halved small potatoes or 1-inch chunks cook at the same speed as the carrots.
Brown the beef properly. The most common stew mistake is rushing this step. Dry beef browns instead of steaming; small batches keep the pan hot; and a crust that forms before you turn the meat is what gives the gravy its deep flavor. Scrape up every brown bit when the liquid goes in.
Tips for Success
Choose chuck
Well-marbled chuck is made for long braising: it turns tender and stays juicy. Lean stew cuts can turn dry.
Want it thicker?
At the end, stir 3 or 4 tablespoons of flour into a little water, stir it into the simmering stew and cook a few minutes more.
Make it a day ahead
The flavors deepen overnight. Cool it quickly, refrigerate it, and reheat it covered over medium heat until it comes to a rolling boil.
Variations
- With peas: stir in 1 cup of frozen peas for the last 30 minutes.
- With celery: add 3 stalks of celery, cut into 1-inch pieces, with the carrots.
- With mustard: stir in 2 tablespoons of whole grain or Dijon mustard at the end for a tangy note.
- Herby: add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a teaspoon of dried rosemary with the thyme.
- Slow cooker: brown the beef first, cook everything but the potatoes on low, and add the potatoes for the last 2 to 3 hours. The beef must be thawed before it goes in.
Storage & Reheating
Divide leftover stew into shallow covered containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours; don’t leave the pot on the counter to cool. USDA FSIS says to eat it within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for 3 to 4 months. Thaw frozen stew in the refrigerator, or heat it straight from frozen in a saucepan.
Reheat it covered on the stove until it comes to a rolling boil, as FSIS advises for stews and soups. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
A bowl of stew wants something to mop up the gravy: warm crusty bread, cornbread or butter biscuits. You can also serve it over rice. For a quicker beef stew, make Instant Pot beef stew; for more cozy bowls, try beef and barley soup or slow cooker poor man’s stew. And if you love beef with potatoes, make a slow cooker pot roast with gravy or a meat and potato casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cook potatoes and meat at the same time?
Yes, in the same pot, but add the potatoes later. Here they go in after the beef has braised 2 hours, so both finish tender together.
What are common mistakes when making stew?
Crowding the pan so the beef steams instead of browning, adding the potatoes too early so they turn mushy, and pulling the stew before the beef is truly tender.
What is the best beef for stew?
Boneless chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Its marbling keeps it juicy through a long braise.
Can I make it without wine?
This recipe is built on red wine. Stews made without it use beef broth, sometimes with canned diced tomatoes, for all of the liquid, which makes a different, lighter stew.
Can I freeze meat and potato stew?
Yes, for 3 to 4 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator and reheat it to a rolling boil.
Final Notes
Brown the beef patiently and let the oven do the rest; the hands-on part is only about 30 minutes. If you make it, tell me in the comments what you served with it.
Meat and Potato Stew
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck well-marbled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided, 1 tablespoon for each batch of beef
- 2 medium yellow onions cut into 1-inch chunks
- 7 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf removed before serving
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 large carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal
- 1 pound small white boiling potatoes baby Yukons, cut in half
- fresh parsley chopped, for serving; optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower middle position.
- Pat the beef dry and season it with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown the beef in 3 batches, about 5 minutes per batch, adding 1 more tablespoon of oil for each batch after the first. Don't crowd the pan, and let the beef form a brown crust before you turn it. Move the browned beef to a large plate.
- Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.
- Return the beef and its juices to the pot and sprinkle the flour over it. Stir until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme and sugar. Stir to loosen any brown bits and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pot, move it to the oven and braise for 2 hours.
- Take the pot out and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and return it to the oven for about 1 hour more, until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened and the beef is tender.
- Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve warm, topped with parsley if you like.
Notes
Nutrition
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