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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!

Stew in a red pot and some in a bowl.


 

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.
browning the beef in a the pot and the cut vegetables on a wooden board
  • 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.
add the wine and all the ingredients in the pot to cook
  • 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.

beef stew cooked in the dutch oven

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.

beef stew in a blue bowl with slices of bread and fresh tomatoes in the background

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!

beef stew in a blue bowl with slices of bread and fresh tomatoes in the background
beef stew in a blue bowl with slices of bread and fresh tomatoes in the background

Baked Beef Stew Recipe

Rosemary Molloy
This easy to make one pot Beef Stew is full of chunks of veggies and tender lean beef. Slow cooked in the oven it makes the best stew ever.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Dish, Stew
Cuisine American/Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 400 kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch oven

Ingredients
 
 

  • ¼ cup all purpose flour (more or less)
  • 1 pound beef (chuck or round) cut into 1" chunks
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1-2 medium stalk of celery chopped
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 can peeled tomatoes (14 ounces or small can)
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 large potatoes cubed
  • ½ cup peas
  • 1-2 large carrot chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon basil (or you can use fresh basil 4-5 leaves chopped)
  • 1-2 pinches salt or to taste (depends on how salty your broth is)
  • 1-2 dashes black pepper or hot pepper flakes

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C).
  • On a small plate add the flour and dredge the cut up beef. In the Dutch Oven add the olive oil and the dredged beef, brown on both sides. Remove the beef to a clean plate. On high heat add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate 20-30 seconds. Then add the garlic, chopped celery and onion, cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes stirring often.
  • Add the remaining ingredients stirring to combine (the tomatoes can be crushed with a fork to break them up). Cover the pot and place in the pre-heated oven. Let cook for 2 hours. Let sit 5-10 minutes, remove the bay leaf before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

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.
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.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 489mg | Potassium: 1603mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5060IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 10mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Make this for the first time this afternoon. It is delicious and will defiantly double it next time. Only issue was not enough liquid so added another cup of the veggie broth and it was find.

  2. 5 stars
    This Dish is delicious! I love putting it all together in my enameled cast iron pot. I had everything I needed, followed everything you said. So flavorful! So easy! There is something about baking it vs stove top. The flavor is more intense and the vegetables don’t become mush. Have made twice now. A winner!

5 from 7 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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