On a shivery winter day there are few things we prefer to a bowl of something warm to help keep the cold out. This gorgeous, rich stew, adapted from a recipe by Dave Lieberman , tastes expensive thanks to the red wine and the slow-cooking process turns a ho-hum cheapo cut of beef into a velvety, succulent dinner that leaves you satisfied and ready for other fun winter activities—like playing under the covers.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound beef chuck for stew, cut into 1-inch cubes $6
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Pantry
- 2 tablespoons butter $1.50 (for the whole stick)
- 2 medium carrots, halved and cut into 1-inch chunks (no need to peel) $1
- 1 small onion, diced $1
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour Pantry
- 2 cups inexpensive red wine (like 2-Buck-Chuck) $2
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary $0.50
- 1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes $1.50
- 1 medium russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks $1
- 1 handful green beans, ends trimmed $2
Recipe Serves 2-4
Directions
- Season the beef cubes lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. As soon as the butter starts to turn brown, add half the beef and raise the heat to high. At first, the beef will give off some liquid, but once that evaporates, the beef will start to brown. Cook, turning the beef cubes on all sides until the pieces are as evenly browned as possible, about 5 or 6 minutes after the water has boiled off. If the pan starts to get too brown at any point, just turn down the heat. Scoop the beef into a bowl and brown the rest of the beef the same way using the remaining 1 tbsp of butter.
- Scoop out the second batch of beef, then add the carrots and onions and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook until the onion starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour until it has been worked into the veggies and you can’t see it any more. Pour in the wine, crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of water, and toss in the rosemary. Slide the beef back into the pot and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Turn down the heat so the liquid is just breaking a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook 30 minutes. Stir the stew several times while simmering so it cooks evenly and nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Stir the potatoes into the stew, cover the pot completely, and cook until the potatoes and beef are tender, stirring occasionally, about another 45 minutes. Add the green beans and cook for another 5 minutes until they turn bright green and are cooked but still crisp.
