Hearty Beef Stew

As you’ve probably noticed, it’s been a little quite on the blog the past week. Work has been busy, cheer is over and we’re all trying to slow down a little. I’m also working on getting back to eating healthy and working out again. My company is doing a “Maintain, Don’t Gain” challenge later this month for the holidays and I’m trying to get a jump start on it and actually lose weight.

The weather is so wonky (is that a real word?) lately and one day it’s cold and then the next day it’s warm. It makes it really hard to plan meals when I don’t know if we can grill one day or I need a bowl of this stew to warm up. This stew was delicious and everyone loved it. We ate it for dinner for two nights and two days for lunch…it was that good! It takes a little time to make, but it’s completely worth it!!

6 oz thick sliced bacon (I used black pepper bacon)
2 to 2.5 lbs boneless, cube beef cubes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour
2 cups red wine (I used pinot noir)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
4 cups low sodium beef broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1 lb small red potatoes, halved or quartered

In a dutch oven, saute the bacon over medium heat until golden brown. Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon fat in the pot. While the bacon is cooking, toss the flour with the beef cubes until coated. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the beef in two batches in the reserved bacon grease, until the beef is seared on all sides. Transfer the beef to the same container as the bacon and set aside.

Deglaze the pot with the wine, scrapping the bottom. Add the mushrooms and simmer over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes. Place the beef and bacon back into the pot. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and saute for another minute. Transfer the cooked vegetables to the pot with the beef.

Add in the beef broth, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil, add in the potatoes and allow to simmer for 1-2 hours. You can also place your dutch oven into a 325 degree oven and cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until the beef is tender and falling apart. Serve with fresh bread or a garden salad.

Source: Natasha’s Kitchen