One-pot beef stew
Deep, slow-simmered beef in a glossy gravy with carrots, potatoes and thyme — a proper one‑pot supper for cosy evenings.
This is proper comfort food: slow-simmered beef in one pot so there’s less washing up and more gravy. It’s robust, unfussy and perfect for a chilly evening when you want something that tastes like it’s been bubbling all day.
The secret to a stew that actually sings is good browning, a patient simmer and finishing with the potatoes so they keep their shape. Serve with mashed swede, buttery mash or crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Ingredients
- 800 g beef chuck, diced — cut into roughly 3 cm pieces
- 30 g plain flour — for dredging
- 10 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 30 ml olive oil
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 2 brown onion — finely chopped
- 2 sticks celery — trimmed and chopped
- 3 carrots — peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 200 g chestnut mushrooms — halved (optional)
- 400 g baby potatoes — halved if large
- 15 g tomato purée — about 1 tbsp
- 150 ml red wine — dry red wine
- 600 ml beef stock — hot
- 15 ml Worcestershire sauce — about 1 tbsp
- 2 bay leaf
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 15 g chopped fresh parsley — to garnish
Equipment
- heavy-based casserole or Dutch oven
- wooden spoon
- ladle
Instructions
Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper, season with sea salt and black pepper, then toss the beef in the plain flour so each piece is lightly coated. Shake off excess flour.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based casserole over a medium–high hob. Brown the beef in batches so it colours rather than steams, about 10–12 minutes total (turn pieces so every face is browned). Transfer browned beef to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the unsalted butter and, once foaming subsides, add the brown onion, celery and carrots. Sweat gently until softened and starting to colour, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the garlic cloves and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw tomato taste.
Return the beef and any juices to the pot, pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the base. Bubble gently until the wine is reduced by about half, roughly 2–3 minutes.
Stir in the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and fresh thyme sprigs, season with a little black pepper, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to very low. Cover and simmer gently on the hob for 120 minutes, or until the beef is tender.
Uncover, add the baby potatoes and chestnut mushrooms, then simmer uncovered for a further 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened to a glossy gravy.
Check seasoning and add more sea salt and black pepper if needed. Scatter over the chopped fresh parsley and leave the stew to rest, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Brown the beef in batches — it’s the single most important step for flavour; if you rush it the stew will taste flat.
- Use a heavy-based casserole or Dutch oven to keep an even temperature and prevent hot spots.
- If time is tight, swap the 120-minute simmer for 90 minutes and finish in a moderate oven at 160°C fan/180°C conventional for 20 minutes for even heat.
- Make-ahead: the stew improves a day or two later. Cool completely, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
- To thicken at the end, mash a few potato pieces into the sauce or whisk 1 tsp plain flour with a little cold water and stir through, simmering for 3–4 minutes.
Substitutions
red wine → additional beef stock 150 ml with 1 tsp red wine vinegar
Stays closeplain flour → cornflour 15 g, mixed with cold water and stirred in at the end to thicken
Noticeably differentunsalted butter → extra 1 tbsp olive oil
Stays closebaby potatoes → parsnips 350 g, cut into similar-sized chunks
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 570
- Calories
- 40 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this in the oven?
Yes — after adding the stock and herbs bring to a simmer on the hob, cover and transfer to the oven at 160°C fan/180°C conventional for 90–120 minutes until tender.
How do I know when the beef is cooked?
It should be fork-tender and pull apart easily. If it’s still chewy after the allotted time, continue simmering and check every 20 minutes.
Can I use a slow cooker?
Absolutely. After browning and assembling transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours. Add the potatoes for the final 90 minutes on low.
How do I prevent the sauce becoming too thin?
A gentle uncovered simmer at the end concentrates the sauce. If it’s still thin, mash a few potatoes into the liquid or thicken with a cornflour slurry (1 tsp cornflour + cold water).
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