Beef Stew

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend despite the circumstances. Memorial Day, in addition to being about honoring the men and women who have served the country, has also served as a symbol of the start of summer. This year, with this pandemic mess, the vibe is a bit different, at least for those of us who are taking the illness seriously. The past few years, my family has been going on little mini-breaks to nearby towns, spending a weekend in a pet-friendly hotel and integrating at least a few hikes each day with a barbecue meal or two to kick off the season. This year, we kept it low-key with time at home.

Today's recipe isn't exactly the most summer-forward. If anything, it's got cozy autumn/winter vibes. But, seeing as it hasn't exactly been sweltering lately, I think stew is still fair game. Plus, this is a low-maintenance one pot dish and it's got some nice color and it's still pretty enough to eat in this warmer weather.

Ingredients [serves 4]:
2 oz. bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ lbs. beef chuck chunks
2 teaspoons salt
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup red wine
6 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
5 sprigs parsley
½ cup peas

Start by rendering the fat out of some bacon. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper and sear in the bacon fat over medium high heat.

Remove the meat once it's browned and add in the onions (reserving half for later), garlic, mushroom, and carrot. Cook until the onions are translucent and soft.

Sprinkle in a little flour and toss to combine and until the flour has dissolved into the fat. Stir in tomato paste and toast for a minute or two until it darkens slightly.

Deglaze the pan with a generous glass of wine, using a spoon to scrape up any delicious bits of fond stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Add in enough stock to cover all of the ingredients and then nestle the beef back into the pot. Season with soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire, and then toss in a few sprigs of celery, reduce the heat to low, and allow the stew to simmer for a few hours or until the beef is falling apart because it's so tender. Add in the rest of the onions and simmer with the lid off for a few minutes just to thicken the sauce. Stir in some peas just before serving.

Serve the stew over egg noodles or with bread or over a bowl of rice, which is what I did.

The stew is rich in flavor and texture and it's got a lot of body despite being pretty simple. The vegetables are all delicious because they have a chance to soak up all of the yummy flavors of the broth and seasoning while it's simmering gently for a few hours; the mushrooms in particular are awesome.

Here's the recipe page: