So…. I’ve never been that good at Beef Stew recipes. Something about them always seems like a good idea, and then I make them, and I don’t like the end result. I think I may have finally figured it out.
I’m not a fan of tomato paste.
And let’s be honest – most stews include some kind of tomato paste, either to give the stew color, or to add sweetness. For me? It’s just unnecessary acid. So maybe some people enjoy it, but not me.
That means I have to find a different way. And I think I’ve found it.
The recipe below is from Bon Appetit’s website. I’ve modified it a touch, mainly because I didn’t have white miso paste, and I absolutely hate parsley. I replaced miso with tahini, and just removed the parsley concoction altogether.
I hope you enjoy!
Bacon and Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 750 ml bottle dry red wine
- 2.5 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 8 oz. bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
- 3 medium carrots, cut in half diagonally
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 large springs thyme
- 2 Tbsp tahini paste
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Directions
- Pour yourself a glass of wine. Just one. 🙂 Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Place the beef that has been cut and trimmed into a medium bowl, and toss with black pepper and salt. Set aside.
- Place bacon in a large Dutch oven, and set the burner on medium. Cook the bacon, stirring often, for 13 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a large bowl. Leave the bacon fat in the Dutch oven.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, and add beef to the pot in a single layer. Cook UNDISTURBED for 5-7 minutes until well browned. Repeat for the other side. Transfer the beef to the bowl containing the bacon.
- Reduce heat to medium and carefully add the onions, cut side down. Cook, UNDISTURBED for 2-3 minutes, then turn and cook until browned on the other side, another 2-3 minutes.
- Add carrots, garlic, thyme, and tahini. Season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic begins to turn golden, and the paste coats the bottom of the pot, approximately 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour evenly over the vegetables, and cook, stirring constantly, until veggies are coated, about 30 seconds.
- Add the rest of the bottle of wine to the pot, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon (get all the good bits!). Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, or until you can no longer smell the alcohol.
- Add the beef and bacon to the pot, along with any juices that may have accumulated. Add about 2 cups of water, or enough to just barely cover the beef. Return to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake 1 hour, 30 minutes.
- Uncover the pot, stir, and continue to cook another 30-60 minutes in the oven.
- Stir, season with salt and pepper, and serve. (Goes great over mashed potatoes!)