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Red Wine Beef Stew

This deliciously hearty and comforting red wine beef stew is the perfect one-pot meal for a cold winter night! Add green beans or peas for color and crunch! Less than 30 minutes of prep, and then dinner is served 1 hour later.

top view of beef stew in white bowl

I wonder if it’s possible to have soups or stews every night, all winter long? I won’t complain!

This is yet another dish that reminds me of my dad. This was one of those meals that was on the rotation every winter, and boy was his version good! All I can remember is picking through that stew for my favorite parts – the chunks of tender beef and potatoes.

I’ve made several different versions of beef stew over the years. Most recipes are very similar, as beef stew is somewhat of a classic recipe. You brown the meat and vegetables (which are typically onions, celery, and carrots), add the other ingredients to the pot, and then wait for the magic to happen.

If you are feeling especially hungry, grab a loaf of fresh crusty bread, and dunk chunks of that into the gravy – it’s sooo amazing.

red wine beef stew in white bowl with soup spoon on top of wooden surface

Ingredients for making this stew

  • The photo below shows the ingredients for making this hearty red wine beef stew.
  • Show below, starting from the top left and going clockwise: Carrots, Worcestershire sauce, salt, flour, potatoes, diced tomatoes, thyme, red wine, oil, celery, beef cubes, black pepper, bay leaves, garlic, onion, and beef stock.
wooden tray will bowls of beef stew ingredients
  • Voila! Everything has been chopped (celery, onions, potatoes, carrots; tomatoes came already diced and beef was purchased cut/cubed although I cut them a little smaller). Forgot to mince the garlic in this photo!
wooden tray with bowls of chopped ingredients for beef stew
frozen fresh green beans on cutting board ready to be sliced
  • Another ingredient that did not appear in the group photo was green beans!
  • You can also use peas instead if you prefer.
  • I had LOADS of frozen fresh green beans so opted to use these.

How to make red wine beef stew (see photo collage below)

  • Cut all vegetables and the meat (assuming the meat doesn’t come precut). I feel that chopping the ingredients is the most time consuming part of this recipe but it only took me about 20 minutes.
  • Coat the meat with seasoned flour and then add to a large pot with oil and brown (photo 1)
  • Remove meat when browned and then add your celery, onions, garlic and spices and continuing cooking until veggies are softened (photo 2)
  • Add red wine (photo 3) to deglaze the pot and continuing cooking until the wine cooks off
  • Add the remaining ingredients as well as the browned cubes of beef (photos 4 and 5)
  • About 20 minutes before the stew is finished cooking, add green beans or peas (photo 6)
collage of steps to make beef stew including coating meat with flour, browning vegetables, and then adding wine and remaining ingredients

What is the best kind of beef for making beef stew?

  • Tougher cuts of beef such as chuck or round are well suited for beef stew, which is traditionally cooked long and slow, a process that tenderizes the meat. See this chart for more information on different beef cuts. (According to Bon Appetit the best type of meat for beef stew is chuck.)

Top tips for making a delicious classic beef stew

  • To save time, consider using beef cubes (precut from the grocery store, usually labeled stew meat.)
  • Be sure beef is cut into bite sized portions (I find the precut meat is sometimes cut too big and will cut it a little smaller).
  • Cut your meat and potatoes uniformly into similar sized pieces to ensure everything will be cooked evenly.
  • Suggested cooking times are guides only; be sure to cook until your potatoes are nice and tender.
  • Using a homemade beef broth would make this especially good if you happen to make your own and keep it in stock.
  • Check your seasonings when finished!
  • You can always add more salt but can’t really take it away it you use too much. When adding salt, do so a little at a time to adjust for your own taste.
  • Finally, there is no need to thicken this stew – it will become quite thick especially over time if there is leftover! The starch from the potatoes contributes a lot of thickness as does the floured beef, which is browned for more flavor.
  • Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated. May freeze, but potatoes may soften significantly.

Note: this post was originally published in 2014; I have updated it in January 2020 with additional tips and photographs.

📖 Recipe

Red Wine Beef Stew

Easy-to-make, hearty, red wine beef stew is the perfect savory meal for a cold winter night! This version includes green beans or peas for added color and crunch.
5 from 1 vote
Author: Marie
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 489 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1/2 cup (62.5 g) all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) black pepper
  • 2 pounds (907.18 g) cubed beef (see notes)
  • 4 tbsp (4 tbsp) oil , plus more if needed
  • 1 large (1 large) onion , chopped
  • 3 to 4 stalks (3 to 4 stalks) celery , chopped
  • 3 cloves (3 cloves) garlic , minced
  • 2 tsp (2 tsp) salt , plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) thyme
  • 1 cup (236.59 ml) red wine
  • 2 cups (256 g) baby carrots , chopped
  • 3 to 4 medium (3 to 4 medium) potatoes , chopped
  • 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
  • 14.5 ounces (411.07 g) diced tomatoes , 1 can
  • 3 small (3 small) bay leaf
  • 2 cups (473.18 ml) beef stock
  • 1 cup (110 g) green beans , chopped

Instructions
 

  • Combine black pepper with flour
  • Coat beef with seasoned flour (you can do this in a large bowl, or a paper bag)
  • Heat large large dutch over medium hight heat until hot (about 2 minutes) and then add oil and seasoned beef. Brown the meat over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.
  • Remove meat and then add celery, onions, garlic, salt, and thyme to pot and continue cooking for 5 or 6 minutes until vegetable are softened.
  • Deglaze the pot of softened vegetables with 1 cup of wine and continue cooking over medium high heat until the wine has reduced to 1/3 or less.
  • Return the beef to the pot and add all the remaining ingredients expect for the beans.
  • Bring the stew to a boil, then immediately turn the heat down to low and simmer the stew for about 60 minutes.
  • Approximately 20 minutes before the stew finishes, add the green beans to the pot and continue cooking.
  • Remove bay leaf before serving.
  • If using slow cooker instead of pot/dutch oven, you can slow cook for 4 to 5 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low (may use slow cooker at step 6, which is when beef is returned to the pot with the vegetables)

Notes

  • To save time, consider using beef cubes (precut from the grocery store, usually labeled stew meat.) If that’s not available, use a boneless chuck roast. 
  • Tougher cuts of beef (chuck or round) are well suited for beef stew, which is traditionally cooked long and slow, a process that tenderizes the meat. See this chart for more information on different beef cuts.
  • Be sure beef is cut into bite sized portions (I find the precut meat is sometimes cut too big and will cut it a little smaller).
  • Cut your meat and potatoes uniformly into similar sized pieces to ensure everything will be cooked evenly.
  • Suggested cooking times are guides only; be sure to cook until your potatoes are nice and tender.
  • Using a homemade beef broth would make this especially good if you happen to make your own and keep it in stock.
  • Check your seasonings when finished! You can always add more salt but can’t really take it away it you use too much. When adding salt, do so a little at a time to adjust for your own taste.
  • Finally, there is no need to thicken this stew with additional flour – it will become quite thick (especially over time if there is leftover)! The starch from the potatoes contributes a lot of thickness as does the floured beef, which is browned for more flavor. 
  • Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated. May freeze, but potatoes may soften significantly.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 41gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 1117mgPotassium: 1551mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 6196IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 131mgIron: 9mg
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One Comment

  1. Thank you for the recipe. It is cooking now for our dinner. A suggestion you need to look at the instructions for the recipe and add when to put several of the ingredients in during the cooking process. I’m an experienced cook so I knew pretty well when to add them.

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