Beef Stew

This is a fan-tab-ulous beef stew! I got the recipe from my new favorite cookbook, The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook - all the recipes I have tried so far have been great! This stew is hearty and flavorful!

Beef Stew

1, 3 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cubed
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped finely
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon worchestershire sauce
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon crushed bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 1/2" cubes
4 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup frozen peas

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

To cube the roast, pull apart the meat at its major seams then use a sharp knife to trim off excess fat and silver skin; cut the meat into 1 1/2" cubes. Dry beef cubes with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large dutch oven (I used a 6 qt. enamel covered cast iron dutch oven) over medium high heat. When oil is hot add half of the beef cubes. Brown meat well (about 10 minutes) then remove meat to a bowl. Heat another 1 tablespoon of oil and repeat with remaining meat. Remove meat and juices to a bowl and set aside.

Heat the last tablespoon of oil in pot. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth and stir scraping up any browned bits. Stir in remaining 2 cups of broth, worchestershire, bouillon granules, crushed bay leaves, and thyme. Stir in beef cubes along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.

Stir in potatoes and carrots. Cover and cook for an additional 1 hour and 30 minutes. Take out of oven, stir in peas, and allow stew to sit with it's lid on for 10 minutes before serving.