Dutch Oven Beef Stew, a slow cooked comfort food, made with fork tender chuck roast and hearty vegetables in a delicious red wine based broth that is infused with aromatics and fresh herbs.
This chuck roast has been seasoned to perfection then braised in red wine until fork tender. Although it requires a slow and long simmer, it doesn't require much effort. This recipe uses minimal ingredients and is super easy and makes for the perfect meal on a Fall or Winter like day.
Come along as I walk you through how to make this one pot dutch oven beef stew that you can serve over creamy Herb Garlic Mashed Potatoes for the ultimate comfort food.
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Why this recipe works
This recipe has all the key ingredients to making a great beef stew. It's meaty, has loads of hearty vegetables and the flavor of the red wine adds a depth of flavor that you may not get otherwise. Although it calls for simple everyday ingredients, these flavors when incorporated into one cohesive dish will not disappoint.
Ingredient Notes
- Chuck roast is a tough cut of meat; however, when braised properly, you will get delicious fork tender meat that you can literally shred or cut with a fork.
- Red meat needs to be seasoned well and chuck roast is no exception be sure to season generously with kosher salt unless you're following a low sodium diet for health reasons or whatever the case may be.
- Grape-seed oil is a great option as it has a high smoke point and will not burn (or other cooking oil with a high smoking point).
- Tomato paste adds an extra layer of flavor always saute the tomato paste FIRST to cook out the raw taste and before adding the red wine and chicken or beef broth.
- If you prefer not using wine, feel free to add more chicken broth or beef broth
- Cut the carrots into nice size chucks to prevent them from becoming overcooked and mushy.
- When choosing red wine for this recipe, you do not have to pick an expensive bottle, but I do suggest a descent bottle that you would also drink.
How to make beef stew in a dutch oven
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree.
- Season the meat: Wash the chuck roast and pat dry with paper towels. Season liberally with kosher salt and pepper unless you're on a low sodium diet otherwise do not be afraid to salt.
- Sear the meat: Add oil to your dutch oven over medium high heat and sear both sides of the chuck roast until nice and golden brown then place on a clean plate and set aside.
- Develop the flavor: In the same dutch oven, add minced garlic and saute until fragrant add tomato paste and saute for another minute. Then, add the red wine and chicken broth (or just chicken broth if you do not want to use wine).
- Add the chuck roast back to dutch oven and top with sauteed veggies (largely cut carrots, sliced onion, and minced garlic). Cover the dutch oven with the lid and place in the preheated oven. Allow it to cook until the meat is fork tender.
- Remove the dutch oven from the oven after 1 hour and spoon the pan juices over the meat. Repeat this step again at the 2 hour mark. Continue cooking until you're able to cut the chuck roast with a fork.
FAQs
The best cut of meat for beef stew is a well marbled chuck roast in my opinion. Although it's a tougher cut of meat due to the tougher connective tissue, when cooked long and slow the connective tissues begin to soften creating fork tender meat which is perfect for dutch oven beef stew.
Pot roast or chuck roast is perfect for slow cooking and if not done properly can result in your meat being tough and hard to chew. For the perfect soft and tender bite, a slow simmer or braising is the cooking method of choice for beef stew.
When storing leftovers, place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, place the leftovers in a pot on the stove-top over medium heat until warm. Beef stew freezes really well. Simply, place in a freezer friendly airtight container or ziploc bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Expert Tips
- Use a heavy bottom pot if you do not have a dutch oven.
- For ultimate flavor, it's important to sear your chuck roast FIRST on both sides before braising.
- You will build layers of flavor by seasoning each component of the stew from beginning to end and taste test.
- A slow and long simmer will ensure fork tender meat.
Related Recipes
Did you make this recipe
If so, let me know how it went. Leave a star rating within the recipe card down below and/or TAG @cookingwithbliss on Instagram. I can't wait to see how it turned out.
📖 Recipe
Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Equipment
- Dutch oven with a lid or heavy bottom pot with a lid
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chuck roast
- 2 tablespoon grape-seed oil (or extra virgin olive oil )
- ½ yellow onion (sliced fairly large)
- 1 carrot (cut into chucks)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoon salt (salt generously)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup red wine (Pinot Nior, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (optional))
- 3 cups chicken broth (or beef broth)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Wash and cut vegetables: Cut onion into large slices, carrots into large chucks, minced garlic cloves. Add cooking oil to dutch oven over medium high heat, add onion and carrots saute for 30 seconds or so, add garlic and saute just until fragrant. Remove from dutch oven and place on clean plate. Set aside.
- Wash and pat dry chuck roast with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add more cooking oil to dutch oven if necessary and begin to sear chuck roast on both sides until a brown outer coating forms (about 8 minutes per side). Remove seared chuck roast from dutch oven and place on clean plate. Set aside.
- Add tomato paste to dutch oven and cook for a minute or so to cook out the rawness of the tomato paste. Deglaze the dutch oven with red wine, add chicken broth and give a big stir. *If not using wine, deglaze with chicken broth.
- Add seared chuck roast back to dutch oven and add the sauteed vegetables on top of the chuck roast. Cover with lid and place in oven and allow to cook for 2 hrs and 10 mins to 2 hrs and 30 mins. Oven times may vary. The pan juices will have reduced some and thickened at the end of the cooking time resulting in a rich and flavorful sauce.
- Using a fork or other utensil cut chuck roast into chucks. Serve over a bed of mashed potatoes or alongside vegetables.
Notes
- Use a heavy bottom pot if you do not have a dutch oven.
- For ultimate flavor, it's important to sear your chuck roast FIRST on both sides before braising.
- You will build layers of flavor by seasoning each component of the stew from beginning to end and taste test.
- A slow and long simmer will ensure fork tender meat.
- Chuck roast is a tough cut of meat; however, when braised properly, you will get delicious fork tender meat that you can literally shred or cut with a fork.
- Red meat needs to be seasoned well and chuck roast is no exception be sure to season generously with kosher salt unless you're following a low sodium diet for health reasons or whatever the case may be.
- Grape-seed oil is a great option as it has a high smoke point and will not burn (or other cooking oil with a high smoking point).
- If you prefer not using wine, feel free to add more chicken broth or beef broth.
- Cut the carrots into nice size chucks to prevent them from becoming overcooked and mushy.
- When choosing red wine for this recipe, you do not have to pick an expensive bottle, but I do suggest a descent bottle that you would also drink.
- Tomato paste adds an extra layer of flavor always saute the tomato paste FIRST to cook out the raw taste and before adding the red wine and chicken or beef broth.
Bob S
Hi, your Dutch Oven Stew ingredients does not list "Tomato Paste" however, it's approximately part of the recipe, so how much is to be used 1sml cn, how much?
Thanks
bosavi
CookingwithBliss
Hi Bob - Thanks so much for calling this to my attention. I've updated the recipe card. I use 3 tbsp of tomato paste. Have a wonderful day and thanks for visiting.