Old-Fashioned Beef Stew With Mushrooms

Serves: 4

Amie Torphy

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

61

Spice

40

Sweetness

47

Sourness

40

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.6

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 tbsp

Tomato Paste

2 sprigs

Thyme

4 tbsps

Unsalted Butter

Directions:

1

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat

2

Season the beef with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper

3

Add to the pot in batches and cook, turning and adding more oil as needed, until browned all over, about 5 minutes

4

Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon

5

Add 2 more tablespoons oil to the pot and reduce the heat to medium

6

Add the roughly chopped carrot, celery and onion and cook, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes

7

Move the vegetables to one side and add the tomato paste to the empty side

8

Cook until it darkens around the edge, about 2 minutes; stir into the vegetables

9

Add the wine and bring to a boil

10

Return the beef and any juices to the pot; add the stock

11

Bring to a boil, skimming any foam off the top

12

Add the thyme

13

Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the beef is tender, about 2 hours

14

Strain the beef and vegetables in a colander set over a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid

15

Tent the beef mixture with foil

16

Let the cooking liquid stand for 5 minutes and then skim off the fat on the surface

17

Return the liquid to the pot

18

Add the remaining carrots and celery and the potatoes and bring to a simmer over high heat

19

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes

20

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat

21

Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their juices and brown, 10 minutes

22

(Pour off any extra liquid, if necessary

23

) Season with salt and pepper

24

Remove from the heat and set aside

25

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat

26

Whisk in the flour to make a roux, then let it bubble (do not brown), 2 minutes

27

Whisk in 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid

28

Stir this sauce into the pot with the vegetables; bring to a simmer

29

Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, 5 minutes

30

Return the beef to the pot, discarding the roughly chopped carrot, celery, onion and thyme

31

Add the mushrooms and simmer until heated through, 5 minutes

32

Season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with parsley

33

Photograph by David Malosh