Italian-Inspired Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 - 3 lbs. beef chuck stew meat cut into small cubes seasoned with salt and pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/2 cup onion, minced
• 2 medium yellow onions, quartered
• 4 carrots, cleaned and cut into quarters
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1” pieces
• 4 large red potatoes, quartered
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Chianti
• 1 quart beef or chicken stock
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• salt for seasoning the beef
• black cracked pepper for seasoning the beef
• 1 tbs. All Purpose flour
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbs. tomato paste

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 325°F.

2. 2

   In a heavy oven proof pot with a tight-fitting lid stove top heat the oil to very hot add a few pieces beef at a time (do not crowd the pot or it will steam and not brown).

3. 3

   Brown the beef on all sides then remove to a plate (it’s very important to create that brown foundation in the pot).

4. 4

   Drain all but 2 tbsp. of oil, add the minced onion, garlic, tomato paste sauté for 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Deglaze the pot with the wine, scraping all the brown bits from the pot mixing everything together.

6. 6

   Add the beef back to the pot with the liquid that has gathered on the plate.

7. 7

   Sprinkle the flour all over the beef.

8. 8

   Add the tomato sauce and enough stock just to cover the beef, mix everything together.

9. 9

   Add the bay leaves and celery, and stir this all together.

10. 10

    Bring to a boil, cover, place in the oven.

11. 11

    After one hour, check the liquid level, and add stock, if needed, to just cover the beef.

12. 12

    After 2 hours total, add the potatoes, quartered onions, carrots.

13. 13

    Stir everything together, cover and place back into the oven.

14. 14

    After 30 minutes, add the peas, stir, cover and place back into the oven for 15 minutes.

15. 15

    Remove from the oven, discard the bay leaves and enjoy.