Hearty Beef Stew with Red Wine

This beef literally melts in your mouth... Each buttery shred of meat is laced with the perfect balance of savory herbs and spices, sweet tomatoes, hearty broth, and tangy wine. Adorned with tender vegetables and served in warm bread bowls, it's about as close to perfection as you can get.

I mean, is your mouth watering? Mine is, and I MADE this.

And it might be the easiest beef stew you'll ever make. Everything is cooked in ONE pot, and that pan is crammed with wholesome vegetables and pieces of meat; base flavors that are seared first to lock in flavor and caramelization. Then, all the other ingredients are dumped in, and the pot is left alone for awhile. A LONG while. You just need to check back every half hour or so to stir things up.

Yes, this is a STOVE-TOP beef stew. I make both versions all the time - oven and stove-top. If you would rather use the oven, no problem. After you add all the ingredients to the pot, and scrape up those brown bits, cover the pot and place it in a 300-degree oven for about 3 to 3 1/2  hours.

Want to leave out the wine? No problem, simply replace it with more beef broth.

Hearty Beef Stew with Red Wine

2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2 celery stalks, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2-2 pounds stew beef or beef chuck cut into 2-inch pieces 
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups beef stock or beef broth

1/2 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Fresh parsley leaves for serving, optional
Bread bowls for serving, optional (I used baby Boule rolls; but Kaiser rolls would work too)

Melt the butter (or heat the oil) in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften, stirring frequently. Add the beef and cook until the meat is browned on all sides, stirring frequently. Add the oregano and thyme and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs are fragrant. Add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat.
Add the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine, tomato paste and vinegar and return to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is very tender, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve in bread bowls (if desired) and top with parsley leaves.
Serves 4