Baked Beef Stew

This easy to make one pot Beef Stew is full of chunks of vegetables and tender lean beef. Slow cooked in the oven it makes the best stew ever. Perfect dinner idea for family and company. Serve slices of fresh bread and dinner never tasted so good!

On a cold winter’s night (fortunately we don’t get many of those in Italy) there is nothing like a big bowl of Beef Stew. And this stew is one of the best if not The Best.

Slow baked in the oven with fresh herbs and vegetables it makes sitting down to dinner something to definitely look forward to. This was one of my Mom’s old recipes that I updated a bit, but decided that I really wanted to try it baked, and I am so glad I did.

How to make Baked Beef Stew

• Dredge the beef in flour and brown in a dutch oven with a little olive oil.
• Cut up the vegetables into bite size pieces or a little larger if desired.

• Remove the browned meat and add the wine and heat on high until alcohol evaporates.
• Add the chopped celery and onion and sautee.
• Then add the remaining ingredients stir to combine.

• Place the lid on the dutch oven and bake.

I found using a dutch oven was the perfect pot for this recipe, if you make your own bread it is excellent for that too! I used a 4 quart but a 6 quart is a good idea too, that way you can add more vegetables and meat if you want.

The best cuts of beef for stew

The best and the cheapest cut of beef for a Stew or Thick Soup is known as chuck, which comes comes from the front shoulder, another good choice would be the round cut which comes from the rear muscle. Either of these will work.

Because they are a cheap cut of meat, means they need a slow cooking in order to make them tender. That is why this stew baked in the oven for two hours is perfect.

Why brown and dredge the meat?

Dredging and browning the meat will give the dish a deliciously rich flavour and browning will add not only body to the sauce but help to make it thicker.

How to make homemade vegetable stock

If you prefer to make your own broth rather than buy it it’s very simple, in a large pot add a couple of coarsely chopped carrots, onions, celery stalks, potato, leek (if desired) even some spinach leaves, garlic, parsley, fresh thyme, a couple of black peppercorns and a pinch or two of salt.

Cover well with water, bring to a low boil on medium high heat, then turn the heat down and continue to simmer for about one hour, stirring occasionally.

Remove the vegetables to a separate bowl, then strain the stock through a strainer lined with cheesecloth. The homemade broth is ready to use or even freeze.

Freeze in freezer safe containers or jars, it will last up to three months in the freezer or one week in the fridge in an airtight container.

How to store the leftover stew

Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it will last up to three to four days. It can also be frozen, be sure to store the completely cooled stew in a freezer safe container. It will keep for up to four to six months.

So if you are looking for an easy stew to make, I hope you give this Baked Beef Stew Recipe a try and let me know what you think. Buon Appetito!