Grandma’s Old Fashioned Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Dust off your Dutch Oven and serve up this classic grandma’s old fashioned dutch oven beef stew. Tender and fall apart beef, loads of tender veggies in a thick beef sauce. A stick to your ribs beef stew that will be an instant family favorite for young and old.
When I say this is the best beef stew recipe to date, I mean it. You cook the stew for two hours in a cast iron dutch oven, and as it cooks slowly, it totally tenderizes the meat. The thick beef broth base combines with the hearty vegetables and brings complete harmony to this old fashioned beef stew.
One Pot Grandma’s Old Fashioned Dutch Oven Beef Stew
I seriously had this prepped and in the oven within ten minutes. Then I let the Dutch oven handle the rest of the works, as I finished up cleaning up the house and kicking up my feet for a bit. The way this stew makes your house smell as it cooks in the oven is unbelievable. Rich, comforting, and full of aromatic scents that fill every crevice of your home, so you are counting down the timer.
Cooking the Vegetables in this Old Fashioned Dutch Oven Beef Stew
So if there is one thing about beef stew that we all know is everyone has their own preference on the texture of the vegetables. I have a tip so you get the exact preference as to the texture of your veggies.
- Softer Vegetables | Cook all your vegetables in the dutch oven for the entire cook time. This will give you that soft and tender veggie.
- Harder Vegetables | So if you like more of a stiffer texture, add in your vegetables at around an hour of cooking. This will make your vegetables a bit harder when you bite into them.
We personally like them soft, so I cook them the entire time. You then get that fork-tender stew meat and vegetables that are packed full of all the flavors from the stew.
How to Thicken Your Old Fashioned Beef Stew
If you find your beef stew isn’t as thick as you would like at the end of cooking, add a teaspoon of corn starch to 1/4 cup cold water and mix. Then pour into your stew and toss in the oven for five to ten more minutes. This will help thicken your stew. Or if you have xantham gum or even guar gum you can add around a teaspoon or less to help thicken it as well.
Because you cook it in the Dutch oven it helps lock in the moisture and will thicken naturally as it cooks. But I know some people prefer a super thick base, and if that is the case you can always make it thicker.
If it is too thick, add a little stock or water and stir to thin your stew out.
What Are Best Cuts of Beef for Stew
Here are a few of the best cuts of beef for stew. Reach for a chuck, short rib, or even a bottom sirloin. You can always ask your butcher at the grocery store or butcher block and they can direct you.
I can’t wait for you all to give this old fashioned beef stew recipe a try. I think if you are a fan of beef and vegetables, this will be a home run recipe for you all. Enjoy.
More Beef Recipes? Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli, Beef Tips and mashed Potatoes, Or Even French Onion Pot Roast
Want stew in your Instant Pot here is a great recipe for Instant Pot Beef Stew.
Grandma's Old Fashioned Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Dust off your Dutch Oven and serve up this classic grandma's old fashioned dutch oven beef stew. Tender and fall apart beef, loads of tender veggies in a thick beef sauce. A stick to your ribs beef stew that will be an instant family favorite for young and old.
Ingredients
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 pound stew meat
- 3 large chopped carrots
- 4 large russet potatoes quartered
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire
- 4 cups beef broth I used better than Bouillon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1 tsp Gravy Master
- 1/2 cup Flour
Instructions
- Place your cast iron dutch oven on the stove on medium heat.
- Add olive oil, onions, and celery.
- Let saute until onions are translucent
- Place stew meat in a plastic bag with flour coating each piece of meat with flour
- Place stew meat in the dutch oven.
- Saute until the meat is brown about 3-4 minutes
- Stir in wine, and broth
- Add Potatoes and carrots
- add Basil and bay leaves
- bring to a boil
- stir in Worcestershire and gravy master *optional*
- Reduce heat to low and cover for 2 hours
- The Flour from the meat should thicken your stew some what you may still need to thicken a little more depending on your preference.
Notes
If you find your beef stew isn't as thick as you would like at the end of cooking, add a teaspoon of corn starch to 1/4 cup cold water and mix. Then pour into your stew and continue cooking five to ten more minutes. This will help thicken your stew.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 221Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 352mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 17g
Is this beef stew in the oven at 350? I didn’t see a temperature on the recipe.
it stayed on the stove top on a very low flame for 2 hours 🙂
I was curious on what size cast iron Dutch oven would be appropriate?
Thank you!
@Janet, the link to the Lodge Dutch oven she posted looks like a 6 qt
Could I freeze this before cooking? If so will I add the potatoes when I’m going to cook
Hi! I must tell you, this is the best beef stew recipe. So simple and yet so tasty! I have this recipe memorized as we have this nearly once a week since last fall. There were times I had to make it twice a week! I do follow everything except for the gravy master, for me, I don’t need it. I do highly recommend adding baby portabella mushrooms but, I know not everyone likes mushrooms. I do cook them separately and then add to my individual bowl. It’s a lovely comfort in a bowl especially with all that is going on with the world today….it’s simmering away on the stove at the moment. Bon Appetit! (Stay safe, too!)