All Day Beef Stew (Dutch Oven)

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On a chilly day, the first recipe I love to make is this classic Dutch oven beef stew. The beef is cooked until fork tender in an amazing beef stew seasoning then carrots and potatoes are added at the end to round it off. This all-day oven beef stew recipe (almost all day) not only tastes amazing but it's so easy to make.

finished dutch oven beef stew with spoon

This classic Dutch oven beef stew recipe is one that I have been cooking for my family for years and the whole family always loves it. It is one of my absolute favorite Dutch oven recipes and a family tradition.

This easy beef stew is so full of flavor because the meat is browned on the stovetop first with some really amazing spices (my favorite beef stew seasoning that was given to my family many years ago!). It is then slow-cooked in a Dutch oven (which is made of cast iron) which gives it a much richer and deeper flavor than you would get with a slow cooker.

I even like to entertain at the holidays with this recipe because who doesn't love a hearty and delicious beef stew when the weather starts to cool.

An oven-roasted stew may seem like a lot but most of the cooking time is the beef stew slowly cooking in the oven. Once you try out this recipe, you will see that it is worth every bit of effort and the reason it has been a loved family recipe of ours for so long.

Why Cook Stew In A Dutch Oven

I really believe the best beef stews are slow-cooked in the oven to really develop that amazing flavor in the beef. The heat in the oven that surrounds a Dutch oven pot creates a gentle and even heat that cooks the meat evenly.

This is because Dutch ovens are made with cast iron which retains heat really well.

You cannot get this same type of flavor on the stovetop or in a slow cooker where the heat is concentrated on the bottom. Cooking stew in the oven really produces a deep rich flavor and the best results!

Ingredients

This classic beef stew recipe has all the classic ingredients you want to find in a delicious beef stew. Here they are (full recipe below):

Stew meat or chuck roast cut into cubes: This Dutch oven stew is great because it uses a less expensive cut of beef like beef chuck and serves lots of people.
Carrots: No classic beef stew is complete without carrots.
Baby Potatoes: I like using yellow potatoes but you can use red potatoes as well. Potatoes add to the hearty nature of this stew and soak up all of those delicious flavors.
Red wine: Adds wonderful depth of flavor. Try to use a dry red wine which adds the best flavor to beef stew and is always the way to go when making a beef stew recipe.
Beef broth (or stock): This is the base of this beef stew.
Garlic cloves: I prefer fresh garlic for this hearty stew.
Paprika: Sweet paprika is what you want here.
Olive oil: Any olive oil works.
Salt and pepper: I prefer kosher salt.
Tomato paste: Tomato paste helps make a rich gravy and thicken this Dutch oven beef stew in addition to adding flavor.

old fashioned beef stew in pot with spoon in a closeup view

How to Make Dutch Oven Beef Stew

Preparing the Dutch oven beef stew steps in pictures from making the seasoning for the beef, coating the beef with the seasoning, then searing the seasoned beef in a large dutch oven pot.

Prepare your spices and mince your garlic cloves.
Cube chuck beef into about 1-inch pieces.
Add your meat to the beef stew seasoning and mix well to make sure all the beef is covered in those delicious flavors.
Sear the meat in a large cast iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat which will caramelize the seasoning onto the meat and give it lots of flavor.

Cooking the Dutch oven beef stew steps in pictures from adding beef stock to the pot, covering it with a lid, adding the potatoes and carrots after cooking in oven, then seasoning the stew.

Add your beef stock to the meat then with a wooden spoon scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot which will add so much flavor to the gravy.
Place a lid on your dutch oven then place in the oven for a couple hours.
After a couple hours, add your tomato paste and red wine to the stew. Also, add your veggies and cook a little longer.
After cooking for another hour, taste for seasonings and tenderness of beef.
Enjoy!

You won't want any other beef stew after trying this recipe. It is hearty, delicious, full of flavor and total comfort food. I promise everyone will love it.

Best Red Wine For Beef Stew

If you ask me, I will tell you every time that to make the best Dutch oven beef stew, using red wine is hands down the best way to do it. It is also how my family has always made it.

If you are unsure of the best types of red wine to use when making beef stew, I have a list of some of my favorites! I use these varietals in my vegetarian cassoulet too.

Cabernet
Pinot Noir
Rioja
Bordeaux

All of these red wines are strong and fully bodied and can stand up to the heat of the oven and the flavor of the beef.

Storing and Reheating

If you have leftover beef stew, you are a lucky person! Beef stew makes the most delicious leftovers and reheats beautifully.

To store leftover beef stew, let it come to room temperature then place it in an airtight container or a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To reheat the beef stew, you can either microwave individual portions on high heat for about 2 minutes or you can place the stew in a pan with a lid and heat on low covered with a little water added until hot.

Tips

Are Dutch ovens good for beef stew?

Dutch ovens are one of the best ways to cook stew because they are heavy bottom pots with lids that allow the stew to cook in the oven without losing moisture.

How do you cook beef stew so it is tender?

It is really easy to make tender beef stew if you follow two principles. First, make sure that you cook the stew on low heat for a long period of time, this is called the low and slow method of cooking.
The second thing that you want to make sure of is that you know the type of meat you are cooking. Some cuts of meat take longer to cook than others. I prefer a chuck roast for all of my beef stews. I always know how long it should take to cook if I cut the chuck roast into 1-inch pieces.

Is stew better in the oven or on the stovetop?

Beef stew (or any stew) can be cooked on the stovetop or in the oven. I prefer stew cooked in the oven because you can create a gentle even heat that surrounds the entire pot of stew allowing it to cook slowly and evenly.

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Print Recipe

5 from 12 votes

A delicious beef stew slow roasted in the oven for maximum flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Total Time3 15

Servings: servings

Author: Melissa Oleary

Equipment

large dutch oven or similar heavy bottom deep baking dish with a tight fitting lid.

Ingredients

4 lbs chuck roast or chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
1.5 lbs fingerling potatoes or mini baby potatoes halved lengthwise
7 large carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces make sure they are all the same size and thickness
2 cups of water plus more if needed
¼ cup good red wine
6 cloves of garlic diced
4 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoon cornstarch mix cornstarch with a little water until smooth. This is the cornstarch slurry to thicken the stew. See note below if you do not have corn starch.
2 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more to taste

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees.
In a large bowl, add your meat, garlic, paprika, 2 tablespoon olive oil and salt and toss your meat around and make sure all of the seasonings are coating the meat.
4 lbs chuck roast, 2 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoon sweet paprika, 6 cloves of garlic diced
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pan. Make sure your pan has a tight-fitting lid which you will need later).
Add your meat to the pan and sear it on all sides. Make sure to get all of that yummy spice mixture out of the bowl and into your pan.
Once your meat has seared and turned a nice golden brown color, water and mix it into the dish. Place a tight-fitting lid on it and place in the oven for about 2 hours.
2 cups of water
After 2 hours, check to make sure there is still some liquid (just a little is fine). If it is dry, add ½ cup of water.
After it has cooked for about 2 hours, remove from the oven and place back on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until the liquid is fully combined and smooth.
2 tablespoon cornstarch
Now add your tomato paste, wine, corn starch slurry and mix it in well and bring to a simmer.
¼ cup good red wine, 4 tablespoon tomato paste
Simmer for about 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol. After 5 minutes, add your carrots and potatoes.
7 large carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces, 1.5 lbs fingerling potatoes or mini baby potatoes
Now place the lid back on the pot and place in the oven for 1 more hour.
After an hour check the tenderness of the meat and vegetables. The meat should easily cut with a fork and the vegetables should be easily pierced with a fork as well. If vegetables need more time to cook, cook for an additional 15 minutes at a time until done.
Once done, remove from the oven and taste for seasonings. At this stage, add more salt to taste.
To serve: Ladle into bowls and serve with warm crusty bread and butter on the side. Also, serve with a nice red wine.
Enjoy!

Notes

If you do not have cornstarch to thicken the stew at the end, you can use this beurre manie (flour and butter soup thickener).

Nutrition

Why Cook Stew In A Dutch Oven

Ingredients

How to Make Dutch Oven Beef Stew

Best Red Wine For Beef Stew

Storing and Reheating

Tips

For more delicious comfort food recipes, you may like