French Onion Beef Stew
I’ve never been a fan of french onion soup. It’s a lot of onions, it’s a bit rich, a bit one note. I wondered what it would be like to infuse beef stew with elements of french onion soup and stumbled on this deliciously savory meal in a bowl. The smell of the stew cooking fills your entire house with the comforting smells of a long cooked meal made with love. I love a dinner that you can throw in a pot in the morning and forget about until it’s time to dish up at dinnertime. You can even do a cheese topped piece of toast to dunk if you’d really like to complete the french onion experience!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
2 pounds of stew beef or chuck roast cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons flour (any kind!)
1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 t pepper
1 sweet or yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
3 carrots, cut into rough bite sized chunks
about 4-6 yellow or red potatoes, cut into rough bite sized chunks
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
more salt and pepper to taste
6 cups of beef broth
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Meanwhile, toss the cubes of beef with the flour, salt, and pepper. When the butter is melted, add half the beef and let it brown on one side before flipping it. The flour will caramelize in the butter and thicken the broth to a velvety stew consistency while it cooks. Brown the other side and remove to a plate. Add the other half of the beef and repeat. You’re now left with an empty pot full of brown bits at the bottom. Add a bit more butter and then the onion and garlic. You will probably want to sprinkle a bit more salt and pepper over top. Let the onions brown a bit. Add the tomato paste and red wine vinegar. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the tasty brown bits on the bottom of the pan. That’s pure flavor! Add the rest of the veggies, the browned beef, and the broth and give it a stir to combine. Make sure you have enough liquid to just cover the meat and veggies. Place the lid on top and pop in the oven for about 3 hours. Check to make sure the meat is fork tender and enjoy!
You can also do this in an instant pot or slow cooker! Just make sure the beef is tender before digging in.
