Jul 312 min read

Beef & Mushroom Stew

Today we are going to make a delicious beef and mushroom stew. One that will make you want to cast manners aside and lick the plate. Tender beef combined with saucy mushrooms and herbs. This is one of those recipes that will lift your spirits and fill your kitchen with a fragrance that will draw in the neighbors.

I love a good, straightforward roast but there is something special about a stew. It's on a level all its own, so fragrant and delicious. This recipe is fairly easy. It doesn't require a lot of ingredients. The better organized you are, the least trouble you should have with this recipe.

"Let's make a stew"

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbs
Butter - 2 tbs
Fresh bay leaves - 2 leaves
Fresh thyme - 6 sprigs
Beef chuck roast - 3 lbs
Onion - 1 large
Fresh mushrooms - 1 pound
Fresh garlic - 5 cloves
Flour - 1 tbs
Salt
Pepper
Beef stock - 1 quart
Wine or cognac - 1 cup

Prep

Always wash hands before you begin and again when necessary.

Place mushrooms in a strainer and rinse them thoroughly. Cut off any tough stems.

Peal and wash the onion and garlic and chop both.

Get your thyme and bay leaves ready. Measure your wine (or cognac) into a measuring cup. Whenever cooking with alcohol, NEVER pour from straight from the bottle. If it should catch fire, it can cause the bottle to explode. Always use a measuring cup.

Season the meat with salt and pepper. Cut into medium-sized cubes.

Now Let's Cook

You'll need a good-sized (oven-safe) Dutch oven. Add the olive oil and butter and heat to medium high on the stove top. When it starts to smoke, add the meat. Spread it around so as not to crowd and brown on all sides. Sprinkle salt and pepper as needed. Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to accommodate the Dutch oven (if needed) and preheat the oven to 275.

When the meat is brown on all sides, remove the beef onto a plate and set aside. Leave all the juicy bits in the Dutch oven.

While the Dutch oven is still hot, add the onion, mushrooms, thyme, bay leaves, and garlic. Toss them around and sauté for ten minutes.

Add the meat back into the Dutch oven along with any juice that accumulated. Sprinkle evenly with one tablespoon of flour and toss until no flour remains. Carefully pour in the wine (or cognac) and cook to reduce. It should thicken in about three minutes. Add the beef stock and mix it in to cover the beef and mushrooms evenly.