Hearty Beef Stew Recipe

We’ve been snowed in for days now here in the South. It’s been wonderful to play outside with the kids during the day, but we can only stay out for short periods of time because it’s just so cold!

And when the weather drops in the evening, it starts to get a bit chilly inside the house too. It’s been a great time to cook some wonderful, warm comfort foods for the family.  

We made a couple of hearty beef stews this week that were just perfect for these chilly winter days. 

The recipes are part of a Recipe Rehab challenge to find healthier versions of popular family recipes. By using healthy and wholesome ingredients, families are able to re-create and transform their recipes. The challenge is based on the award winning Recipe Rehab show on CBS, so be sure to tune in on Saturday, February 15th (check your local listings for air time) to see the official winner.

Each recipe for our challenge was made with Certified Angus Beef®, the brand that’s a cut above USDA Prime, Choice and Select Grades. Certified Angus Beef® meets 10 standards for premium quality, including abundant marbling, which releases flavor and juiciness throughout the meat while it’s being cooked. 

Hearty Beef Stew

Beef Stew with Barley

The recipes were both a hit, filled with flavorful herbs and fresh vegetables, but the Hearty Beef Stew was the overall winner. The large, thick chunks of meat combined with the vegetables were filling and delicious, and a recipe we’ll definitely be making again soon!

Here’s the recipe – be sure to try it with your family for a wholesome and healthy hit.

Hearty Beef Stew

Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds Certified Angus Beef ® sirloin tip, trimmed of excess fat, cut in 3/4 – 1-in. cubes, and patted dry on paper towels
1/3 cup all purpose flour
5 cups no-salt-added beef broth
Canola oil spray
1 pound yellow onions, diced in 3/4-in. pieces
1 pound baby carrots
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and quartered
1 cup dry white wine (sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
6 celery stalks, cut into 3/4-in. pieces
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 ounces tomato paste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 pound cauliflower, cut into florets
8 ounces fat free sour cream

Instructions:

~ In 2-quart mixing bowl, whisk flour and beef broth together until any lumps are gone.
~ Spray pot or Dutch oven (6-quart) with oil and place on medium-high heat. When pot is heated, brown beef in three batches, adding more spray for each batch. Do not overcrowd pot; its bottom should be visible.
~ Spray nonstick sauté pan with oil and heat on medium high. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and soft. Remove from pan and reserve; repeat with carrots, cooking until browned.
~ Once beef is browned, add mushrooms to Dutch oven and cook for 1 minute. Add wine; cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
~ Return browned beef to Dutch oven; add caramelized onions and carrots, as well as celery, garlic, tomato paste, thyme leaves, bay leaves and ground pepper. Stir in flour and beef stock mixture.
~ Bring pot to a simmer, then reduce to low heat and cook for 45 minutes, or up to 2 hours if time permits. (The longer the stew simmers, the more tender the beef will become.) While stew is simmering, occasionally check it and skim any excess fat from the top.
~ Bring 4 quarts water to a simmer in large pot. Place cauliflower florets in simmering water and cook 8 minutes or until tender. Drain and keep cauliflower warm.
~ Remove stew from heat and stir in lemon juice. Divide cauliflower equally among 8 bowls, then ladle stew over cauliflower. Garnish each bowl with a dollop of sour cream if desired.