Autumn Beef Stew in Dutch Oven

This old-fashioned Dutch Oven Beef Stew is full of tender chunks of meat, fresh vegetables, and diced potatoes in a thick, rich gravy. The flavorful, satisfying, and traditional one-pot meal is the best beef stew recipe that you will ever taste!

Overhead shot of a bowl of dutch oven beef stew on a wooden table

Easy Beef Stew Recipe

On a chilly day, nothing beats the cozy comfort of Dutch Oven Beef Stew. The aroma that wafts through your home as it cooks all afternoon is like a warm hug from your grandmother! The melt-in-your-mouth easy dinner recipe gives you succulent beef and flavorful vegetables that have soaked up all of the juices from the meat. It's truly the perfect supper to serve on a quiet Sunday evening.

What is Dutch Oven Beef Stew?

A classic beef stew is a simple combination of chunks of beef, vegetables and often potatoes that are braised in liquid and served in their thick, rich gravy. There are endless combinations of meat and vegetables, some of which are slow-cooked in the oven, others that are made in a Crock Pot, and old-fashioned recipes like this that simmer on the stovetop in a big cast iron Dutch oven.

Why use a Dutch Oven for Beef Stew?

Many folks prefer the convenience of a Crock Pot slow cooker or even an Instant Pot, but I find that the Dutch oven yields the best tasting beef stew every time.

Dutch ovens are made from cast iron, so they retain and evenly distribute the heat. Plus, the tight-fitting lid traps the moisture inside the pot -- resulting in the juiciest stew and meat that you will ever taste. Instead of dried-out beef, mushy vegetables and gummy potatoes that have been cooked to death in a slow cooker, you can easily control the cooking time of all of the individual ingredients when using a Dutch oven. Plus, you get all of those great browned bits at the bottom of the pot after browning the meat and bacon, which add tons of flavor to the stew.

Front shot of a ladle serving Dutch Oven beef stew

Ingredients for a Traditional Beef Stew Recipe

Butter
Bacon
All-purpose flour
Beef stew meat (or diced chuck)
Dry red wine
Red wine vinegar
Tomato paste
Garlic
Kosher salt and pepper
Thyme, bay leaf, paprika
Beef broth or stock
Onions
Carrots
Russet potatoes
Mushrooms (optional)

The Best Meat for Beef Stew

I purchase "stew beef" or "stew meat" that has already been cut into cubes for a shortcut. Stew meat is made from cuts of beef with lots of tough connective tissue, typically chuck (which comes from the front shoulder) or round (the rear muscle). When you slowly braise these tough cuts in a liquid, the connective tissue breaks down and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender. That's why it's traditionally simmered in stock and turned into beef stew or pot roast. If you can't find this prepared stew beef, you can purchase a whole chuck and dice it into 1-2 inch cubes at home.

How to Make Dutch Oven Beef Stew

This simple beef stew develops so much flavor as you layer ingredients and slowly simmer the pot on the stovetop. It's not difficult, but it does require more than 2 hours from start to finish -- making it ideal for a quiet Sunday supper.

Process shot showing how to make beef stew

Sauté bacon in butter.
Toss the chunks of beef with seasoned flour to coat.
Sear beef in the butter and bacon fat until browned on all sides.
Deglaze the pot with red wine and vinegar.
Add the bacon and beef back to the pot, along with the tomato paste, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, paprika and beef broth.
Boil, then reduce the heat to low.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender -- about 1½ hours.
Add the onions and carrots; simmer (covered) for 10 minutes.
Stir in the potatoes and mushrooms. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables and potatoes are tender, about 30 more minutes.
Discard the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper (if necessary), then ladle into bowls and serve!

Horizontal side shot of a ladle serving easy beef stew recipe

What to Serve with Beef Stew

Since it's full of meat, veggies and potatoes, this is a great one-pot meal! That said, here are a few easy options to serve with your Dutch Oven Beef Stew:

Noodles or mashed potatoes
Buttermilk biscuits
Crusty French baguette
No-knead bread
Soft dinner rolls or homemade crescent rolls
3-Ingredient Beer Bread
Southern Collard Greens
A simple green salad dressed with Buttermilk Dressing
Roasted Broccoli
Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion
Braised Red Cabbage
Sauteed Kale with Bacon
Hoe Cakes
Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

Storage

Stored properly in an airtight container, the leftover stew will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the stew in airtight containers for up to 3 months; however, it's important to know that the texture of the potatoes and vegetables will likely be mushier when thawed.

How to Reheat Beef Stew

When chilled, the fat from the stew will rise to the top and harden. You can use a spoon to scrape off most of the fat, or you can simply leave it in the pot and stir it back into the dish when it heats up. Place the cooked stew in a saucepan or Dutch oven on the stovetop. Cover and warm over low heat, just until the stew reaches the desired temperature. If it seems dry, you can add more beef broth to thin, as necessary.

Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe Variations

The wine gives the dish so much rich flavor; however, if you want to prepare an alcohol-free recipe, simplyreplace the wine with an extra cup of beef broth.
If you can't find diced stew meat at your store, you can purchase 2 lbs. of chuck and dice it into cubes at home.
The mushrooms are one of our favorite ingredients in this stew; however, if you don't care for mushrooms, you can substitute with frozen peas.

Overhead shot of a ladle scooping up beef stew from a dutch oven

Tips for the Best Beef Stew Recipe

Dredge the meat in the seasoned flour. This helps the beef caramelize and brown in the pan, while the flour also thickens the gravy in the stew.
Brown the meat. This is an extra step, but it's worth the effort. The caramelized surface gives the beef extra flavor, while the browned bits and drippings in the pot add even more flavor to the stew.
To make the beef stew tender, it's important to cook the beef long enough to break down the tough connective tissue and fibers. If your meat is still tough after about 90 minutes, simmer the stew a little bit longer before adding the vegetables and potatoes.
Use a high-quality dry red wine. Good options include pinot noir, merlot or cabernet.
While the tomato paste isn't a mandatory ingredient, it adds rich tomato flavor to the stew. I highly recommend including this extra layer of complexity to the dish!
Keep the Dutch oven covered while simmering in order to trap moisture in the stew. You should end up with the perfect ratio of thick, rich gravy by the end. If you find that the stew is too thick at the end of cooking, just add an extra splash of broth until it reaches the desired consistency.

Overhead shot of old fashioned beef stew in a bowl on a wooden table

More Stew Recipes to Try

Farmhouse Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Chicken Stew
Beef Burgundy
Virginia Brunswick Stew
Irish Stew
Oyster Stew
Autumn Harvest Pork Stew

Dutch Oven Beef Stew

This old-fashioned Dutch Oven Beef Stew is full of tender chunks of meat, fresh vegetables, and diced potatoes in a thick, rich gravy!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword beef stew, Dutch Oven Beef Stew, Traditional beef stew recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Servings 12 cups

Calories 269 kcal

1 tablespoon butter
4 slices bacon, chopped
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 lbs. beef stewing meat, cut into cubes
1 cup dry red wine (pinot noir, or other red wine of choice)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or a 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon paprika
2 ½ cups beef broth, plus more as needed
2 large onions, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into ¾-inch cubes
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms

In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, sauté bacon in butter over medium heat until crisp and browned (about 3-5 minutes). Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Pat beef dry with a paper towel.
Place the flour in a bowl or large Ziploc bag and season with about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Add the beef and toss to coat well. Remove coated beef from the bowl and discard any extra flour.
Sear beef in the butter/bacon fat until browned on all sides (about 5 minutes). Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to work in batches so that the beef can brown without overcrowding.
Remove the beef from the pot and add the wine and vinegar. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
Add bacon and beef back to the pot, along with the tomato paste, garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, remaining ½ teaspoon of pepper, thyme, bay leaf, paprika and broth. Stir really well to completely combine. Bring to a boil; then reduce to a low simmer.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender, about 1 ½ hours. Add the onions and carrots and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and mushrooms and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Add more broth at the end to thin the stew, if necessary. Discard bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve.

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Source: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/dutch-oven-beef-stew/