Basic Stew

Name: Basic Stew
Ingredients: 3 pounds Stew Meat; 1 Diced Onion; 4 cloves Diced Garlic; 3 Carrots; 3 pounds Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes; 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste; 1 cup White wine, red wine, beer or chicken stock; 11 Balsamic, white wine, red wine or cider vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt or sour cream; 2 sprigs Thyme; 2 sprigs Rosemary

10 ingredients

11 steps

Ingredients

3 pounds Stew Meat
1 Diced Onion
4 cloves Diced Garlic
3 Carrots
3 pounds Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 cup White wine, red wine, beer or chicken stock
11 Balsamic, white wine, red wine or cider vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt or sour cream
2 sprigs Thyme
2 sprigs Rosemary

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 325°F.
2

Sear meat on medium high until deeply browned on all sides. Set aside on a plate.
3

Turn the heat down to medium, add onions, garlic and carrots and saute until the onions start to soften and get translucent, about five minutes or so.
4

Add tomato paste and stir it around until it coats the onions.
5

Deglaze with red wine, white wine, beer, or chicken or beef stock.
6

Add bay leaves and a few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary. Or if working with pork and beer, some orange zest, a cinnamon stick, and a dried ancho chile.
7

Add meat back to pot. Check liquid level so that meat is covered almost completely with liquid. If it's not, add more wine, beer, stock, or even just water until it is.
8

Simmer, covered, checking every hour or so and add more liquid if needed and give it a stir. Cook until meat is fork tender, 3 hours or so.
9

Add potatoes, veggies and enough liquid to keep everything three-quarters of the way covered.
10

Continue cooking for 45 minutes to an hour, until the potatoes and vegetables are fork tender.
11

FINISH WITH A HIT OF ACID - vinegar, lemon or orange juice - and season to taste.