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Dutch Oven Beef Stew

Dutch oven beef stew with fork-tender beef, potatoes, and carrots in a thick, glossy sauce made by baking low and slow. Brown the meat, simmer the wine to deglaze, then bake until the vegetables are tender and ready to serve straight from the pot.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and seasoning
  • 3 lb beef chuck Cut into 2-inch cubes.
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
Aromatics and sauce
  • 1 onion Large, diced.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 3 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Herbs and bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary Use 2 sprigs; remove herb stems later.
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme Use 3 sprigs; remove herb stems later.
  • 2 bay leaves bay leaves
Vegetables
  • 1.5 lb baby potatoes Halved.
  • 4 carrots Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef and build the stew base
  1. Preheat oven to 325F. Season beef with salt and black pepper, toss with flour, and brown in batches in the Dutch oven using the olive oil until well-colored.
  2. Cook the onion for 5 minutes in the Dutch oven. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the dry red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to release browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Bake until beef is tender
  1. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves along with the browned beef. Cover the Dutch oven and bake at 325F for 2 hours.
  2. Stir in the baby potatoes and carrots, then cover again. Bake at 325F for 1 hour more, until the beef and vegetables are tender.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the herb stems and bay leaves from the stew. Serve hot.

Notes

Pro tip: browning in batches helps the beef sear instead of steaming, which is key for a thick, glossy stew. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven until hot throughout. Freezing is yes—freeze up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat. For a lower-sodium option, choose low-sodium beef broth and reduce added salt slightly.