Recipe Sharing: Beef Stew

This is my favorite recipe for beef stew, coming from Rob's America's Test Kitchen cookbook. It's perfect for a Sunday evening dinner, and there's always leftovers to enjoy for lunches or throw in the freezer for a quick dinner later.

Enjoy!

Beef Stew
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 onions, minced
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1 c. dry red wine
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
  
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 medium red potatoes, washed and cubed
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 c. frozen peas
  

Directions

1. Put oven rack to the lower-middle position; pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Cube and season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of the meat, about 10 minutes, and then transfer to a plate. Return the pot to medium-high heat and repeat with 1 more tbsp. of oil and the remaining beef. Set browned beef aside.
   
2. Add the last tbsp. of oil to the empty pot and return to medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stire in the tomato paste and garlic, cooking for 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.
   
3. Slowly stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, thyme, bay leaves and browned beef (along with the accumulated juices). Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for one our.
4. Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Cover and continue to cook in the oven until the beef and potatoes are tender, about 1 hour.
5. Remove the pot from the oven and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the peas and let sit for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste before eating.