OLD FASHIONED BEEF STEW

Chances of setting off a fire alarm is slightly higher due to the searing of beef, please use an oven fan if possible.

*Recipe adapted from New York Times

Ingredients

Yield: 4 servings

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 pound beef stewing meat, trimmed and cut into cubes

5 teaspoons vegetable oil or as needed

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 cup red wine

3½ cups beef broth

2 bay leaves

1 medium-ish onion, peeled and chopped

5 medium-ish carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes

2 teaspoons salt or however much you like

Directions

Step One
Combine flour and pepper in a bowl, add the beef and toss to coat. Heat oil in a large pot, you’ll want high sides to keep the spatter contained. You’ll want the fan on for this. Add the beef a few pieces at a time; it doesn’t need to be a party in the pot. Cook, turning the pieces until beef is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch; add more oil as needed between batches.

Step Two
Remove the beef and set it aside, it’s not going far. Add the vinegar and wine. Cook over a medium heat or one that your comfortable with, scrape the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Add the beef, the beef broth and bay leaves. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce a simmer by placing on low heat.

Step Three
Cover and cook, mixing the broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, set the timer for about 1½ hours. You may notice a lot of steam coming out, so stay close to it and keep an eye on it.

Add the onions and carrots once the timer goes off and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer until you can poke through the vegetables with a fork, about 30 minutes more. Add more broth if the stew is dry looking like mine was. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle and serve.

In the Rotation

A collection of adapted recipes that avoid setting off the smoke alarm in small apartments. From the curated list of the favorite meals that enter into the rotation of Will Scheideler and September McCarthy.

© 2025