Slow Red Wine and Bone Broth Braised Beef Stew

comforting, nourishing, melt-in-your-mouth tender

One of the first things I start to crave when the weather turns chilly is a good, slow-braised stew. It’s the epitome of comfort food, with tender chunks of beef, savory veggies, and a rich, flavorful broth that fill the home with the most nostalgic aromas.

This particular recipe for Slow Red Wine and Bone Broth Braised Beef Stew is one of my favorites that I make every year. The beef is braised in a red wine and bone broth liquid for a few hours at a very low temperature, which gives the collagen within the beef enough time to release it’s gelatin to make the sauce extra rich and nutritious. The meat comes out insanely tender every time. The best part about this dish is that it tastes even better the next day, so it’s perfect to make as a meal prep and have throughout the week. This recipe makes about 6-7 servings for that very reason.

Let’s dive into the recipe for this melt-in-your-mouth, savory stew that will leave everyone asking for seconds.

INGREDIENTS (6-7 servings)

• 3-4 lbs (1.2-1.5 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into equal-size cubes

• 1 yellow onion, finely diced

• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 cup (235ml) red wine

• 4 cups (950ml) beef bone broth

• 1 lb (450g) small roasting potatoes, cut into equal pieces (some will be halved, some will be quartered depending on their size)

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 4-5 medium carrots, finely diced

• ½ celery root, finely diced

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 sprig rosemary

• 1 sprig oregano

• ½ cabbage, quartered

• 1 teaspoon Sherry vinegar (optional)

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• Olive oil

• Black pepper

• Kosher salt

• Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish

Serve on its own or with a side of white rice

METHOD

1. Prepare the beef chuck roast by trimming any excess fat (don’t throw it out - set it aside and make beef tallow!). Then, cut the meat into equal-size cubes. Season all sides of the meat with salt and pepper

   

2. Preheat the oven to 300F/150C

3. Heat a dutch oven or an oven-safe pot on the stove over high heat. When the pot is hot, add a drizzle of olive oil. After a minute or two, when the oil is hot, add the meat cubes. Sear for 1-2 minutes on all sides, making sure not to overcrowd the pot (work in batches if necessary). Set the meat aside after searing

4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Saute for 5 minutes. Then, add the diced carrots and diced celery root. Sautee for 3 minutes. Then, add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring regularly so that the garlic doesn’t burn

5. Add the tomato paste and mix well to coat all the veggies with it. Cook for 5 minutes

6. Add the red wine, making sure to scrape any food off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula. Cook for 5 minutes, or until wine has reduced by about half. At this stage, re-introduce the seared beef chunks to the pot

7. Add the diced potatoes, the bone broth, the two bay leaves, the Worcestershire sauce, a few cracks of black pepper, and a generous pinch of salt. Make sure the liquid covers the meat and vegetables

   

   Picture taken when the potatoes were added in, right before the bone broth went in! Make sure the liquid covers all of the meat and vegetables

8. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook in the oven for 1.5 hours. After 1.5 hours, add the rosemary sprig and the oregano sprig (you can tie these together using kitchen twine to make it easier to remove later), and the cabbage. Lower the heat of the oven to 290F/140C. Cover the pot and transfer it once again to the oven. Cook for an additional 1.5-2 hours, or until the meat is extremely tender (total cook time should be around 3-3.5 hours)

   

   Picture taken right after being taken out of the oven

9. Combine the cornstarch with ¼ cup (60ml) of cold water to create a cornstarch slurry

10. After removing the pot from the oven, remove the rosemary spring, the oregano sprig, and the bay leaves. Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Also add the sherry vinegar at this stage, if using. Taste and adjust the salt level if needed

11. Top with fresh parsley before serving. You can serve this on its own or with a side of white rice

    

    Final result!