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Holiday beef stew in Christmassy bowl
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Holiday Beef Stew

Three quarters of a bottle of Merlot and herbs went into this holiday beef stew. The sauce was thickened with a mixture of flour and butter.
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Keyword Beef Stew
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author Connie Veneracion

Ingredients

To brown the beef

  • 1 kilogram stewing beef (short ribs, beef crest or beef brisket will all work), cut into two-inch cubes
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup butter

Mirepoix (flavor base)

  • ¼ cup chopped onion
  • ¼ cup chopped carrot
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • salt
  • pepper

Stew

  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon dried sage
  • ¾ bottle Merlot
  • meat broth as needed

To complete the beef stew

  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into wedges
  • ⅓ cup sweet peas
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • snipped parsley to garnish

Instructions

Brown the beef

  • Dry the beef cubes with paper towels.
  • Toss the beef with the flour.
  • Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed pan.
  • Spread the beef in the hot butter and cook over high heat, turning the pieces occasionally, until all sides are browned.
  • Scoop out the beef and move to a plate.

Make the mirepoix

  • Reheat the remaining butter in the pan.
  • Over medium heat, cook the onion, carrot and celery with a bit of salt and pepper until softened.

Stew the beef

  • Add the browned beef to the mirepoix.
  • Sprinkle in the rosemary, thyme and sage.
  • Pour in the wine. Let boil for about 10 minutes, uncovered.
  • Lower the heat, cover and simmer for two to two and a half hours or until the beef is tender.
  • If the liquid dries up before the beef is done, pour in broth, half a cup at a time (see notes after the recipe).
  • Taste every half hour so or, and adjust the seasonings accordingly.

Vegetables and sauce

  • Stir in the potatoes and peas.
  • Mix the softened butter and flour until smooth.
  • Drop in the butter-flour mixture by teaspoonful.
  • Stir everything together and continue to simmer, covered, until the vegetables are done.

Serve your hioliday beef stew

  • Ladle the stew into a serving bowl and sprinkle with parsley.
  • Serve with bread or rice.

Notes

Adding liquid to prevent the stew from drying up before the meat is tender should be done sparingly. This is a stew, after all, and not a soup.
Holiday beef stew in pan
Updated from a recipe originally published in December 8, 2013