Classic Dutch Oven Beef Stew (Easy Recipe) (2024)

On a chilly day, the first recipe I love to make is this classic Dutch oven beef stew. The beef is cooked until fork tender in an amazing beef stew seasoning then carrots and potatoes are added at the end to round it off. This all-day oven beef stew recipe (almost all day) not only tastes amazing but it's so easy to make.

This classic Dutch oven beef stew recipe is one that I have been cooking for my family for years and the whole family always loves it. It is one of my absolute favorite Dutch oven recipes and a family tradition.

This easy beef stew is so full of flavor because the meat is browned on the stove top first with some really amazing spices (my favorite beef stew seasoning that was given to my family many years ago!). It is then slow-cooked in a Dutch oven (which is made of cast iron) which gives it a much richer and deeper flavor than you would get with a slow cooker.

I even like to entertain at the holidays with this recipe because who doesn't love a hearty and delicious beef stew when the weather starts to cool.

An oven-roasted stew may seem like a lot but most of the cooking time is the beef stew slowly cooking in the oven. Once you try out this recipe, you will see that it is worth every bit of effort and that it has been a loved family recipe of ours for so long.

So much flavor!

I really believe the best beef stews are slow-cooked in the oven to really develop that amazing flavor in the beef. The heat in the oven that surrounds a Dutch oven pot creates a gentle and even heat that cooks the meat evenly.

This is because Dutch ovens are made with cast iron which retains heat really well. We also love making a Provencal beef stew and stovetop chili in the Dutch oven.

You cannot get this same type of flavor on the stovetop or in a slow cooker where the heat is concentrated on the bottom. Cooking stew in the oven really produces a deep rich flavor and the best results! I even cook my French beef stew, and Mexican lentils in a Dutch oven for this same reason.

To keep it traditional, this Dutch oven stew has carrots and potatoes for that classic comfort food taste.

We love serving oven-roasted beef stew with a side of fluffy yogurt biscuits, or Yukon gold mashed potatoes, cheesy polenta, or cheddar scones.

Ingredients

This classic beef stew recipe has all the classic ingredients you want to find in a delicious beef stew. Here they are (full recipe below):

1. Stew meat or chuck roast cut into cubes: This Dutch oven stew is great because it uses a less expensive cut of beef like beef chuck and serves lots of people.
2. Carrots: No classic beef stew is complete without carrots.
3. Baby Potatoes: I like using yellow potatoes but you can use red potatoes as well. Potatoes add to the hearty nature of this stew and soak up all of those delicious flavors.
4. Red wine: Adds wonderful depth of flavor. Try to use a dry red wine which adds the best flavor to beef stew and is always the way to go when making a beef stew recipe.
5. Beef broth (or stock): This is the base of this beef stew.
6. Garlic cloves: I prefer fresh garlic for this hearty stew.
7. Paprika: Sweet paprika is what you want here.
8. Olive oil: Any olive oil works.
9. Salt and pepper: I prefer kosher salt.
10. Tomato paste: Tomato paste helps make a rich gravy and thicken this Dutch oven beef stew in addition to adding flavor.

Beef stew seasoning

My favorite beef stew seasoning to use for this hearty beef stewis a mix of garlic, paprika, and salt. It actually comes from a Jewish brisket recipe given to my mom many years ago to make brisket and the flavors are out of this world.

This seasoning is so good we also use it on our turkey patties and hamburger patties.

This dish is perfect for those days that you know you will be in the house all day either from snow or just to relax.

When making this oven beef stew, it is very little hands-on time and most of the time is the stew roasting in the oven doing its own thing. I usually have time to make a batch of homemade biscuits or mashed potatoes which taste so good served alongside this stew.

How to Make Classic Dutch Oven Beef Stew (Step-by-Step Photos)

• Prepare your spices and mince your garlic cloves.
• Cube chuck beef into about 1-inch pieces.

• Add your meat to the beef stew seasoning and mix well to make sure all the beef is covered in those delicious flavors.
• Sear the meat in a large cast iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat which will caramelize the seasoning onto the meat and give it lots of flavor.

• Add your beef stock to the meat then with a wooden spoon scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot which will add so much flavor to the gravy.
• Place a lid on your dutch oven then place in the oven for a couple hours.

• After a couple hours, add your tomato paste and red wine to the stew. Also, add your veggies and cook a little longer.
• After cooking for another hour, taste for seasonings and tenderness of beef.
• Enjoy!

You won't want any other beef stew after trying this recipe. It is hearty, delicious, full of flavor and total comfort food. I promise everyone will love it.

Best Red Wine For Beef Stew

If you ask me, I will tell you every time that to make the best Dutch oven beef stew, using red wine is hands down the best way to do it. It is also how my family has always made it.

If you are unsure of the best types of red wine to use when making beef stew, I have a list of some of my favorites! I use these varietals in my vegetarian cassoulet too.

• Cabernet
• Pinot Noir
• Rioja
• Bordeaux

All of these red wines are strong and fully bodied and can stand up to the heat of the oven and the flavor of the beef.

Storing and Reheating

If you have leftover beef stew, you are a lucky person! Beef stew makes the most delicious leftovers and reheats beautifully.

To store leftover beef stew, let it come to room temperature then place it in an airtight container or a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To reheat the beef stew, you can either microwave individual portions on high heat for about 2 minutes or you can place the stew in a pan with a lid and heat on low covered with a little water added until hot.

Tips

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