Menu For Beef Stew Dinner
Ingredients.1/2 pound beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces.Salt and pepper, to taste.1 tablespoon vegetable oil.1 small onion, quartered.4 garlic cloves, peeled.3/4-1 cup beef broth or stock.1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.1 teaspoon brown sugar.2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces.1 large potato of choice, cut into 1-inch pieces.1 sprig thyme + 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves.1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas.1 tablespoon lemon juice.1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional - see recipe).1 tablespoon water (optional - see recipe). Instructions. Season the beef on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat vegetable oil. Add the beef in a single layer and cook until brown, about 3–5 minutes. Flip and cook until brown, about 2–3 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. In the same pot, add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes. If the pot is dry, add more oil. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Gradually stir in 3/4 cup beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, turn the heat down to the lowest simmer possible. Add the beef and any juices from the bowl and thyme sprig. Cover and simmer until beef is tender, about 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the pot is dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup broth.
Menu For Beef Stew Dinner Menu
Add carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in peas, thyme leaves, and lemon juice. Cook until the peas are hot, about 1 minute. Remove the thyme sprig.
Optional - If there's still liquid left in your pot: Mix together cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into the pot then bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Yes you can, but two things you need to be aware of so you’re not frustrated after reheating.
One – Because I use cornstarch to thicken it, there’s a chance the gravy may separate when reheating. If this happens, you can take some of the separated gravy, whisk it in a separate bowl with cornstarch, then add it back in.
That should smooth the sauce again. Two – You will also want to undercook the carrots and potatoes, say 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes.
The vegetables in stew tend to be softer after freezing, so undercooking will help with that. And if they are still a bit crunchy after thawing, you can reheat the stew until they’re more tender.
Hope that helps and congrats on the twins! I’m sure you can tweak it to use with chicken, but the recipe is designed to cook down a tough piece of beef where as chicken doesn’t need as much time. I haven’t tested it, but if I had to guess: Cook cut up chicken breast 3-4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the middle. Continue cooking the vegetables and skip cooking the meat for 90 minutes. Use chicken broth instead of beef and leave out the Worcestershire sauce. You may need lemon juice at the end to help brighten up the dish, depending on how heavy the stew is at the end. Again, I have not tested it with chicken, so please let me know how it goes.
If you decide to use bone-in chicken pieces like drumsticks or thighs, the cooking time will need to be longer.