Recipe for Old Fashioned Beef Stew
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08/06/2002
Awesome! Very easy and VERY, VERY good. After reading previous reviews, I took many suggestion to great success. I used to 2 choice round steaks and cut them up. Added 2 more teaspoons of salt. Reduced Pepper to 1/2-teaspoon. The browning of the meat is definitely important, do this with care and make sure you get a nice crust on the meat without burning. Also added to great delight fresh herbs - thyme, sage, rosemary and 2 dry bay leaves as well as 1 can of crushed tomatoes + 2 tablespoons of Worchestire. Warning...you will need a big pot, this makes alot. Another suggestion, brown meat and onions in another large saute pan and deglaze with a little of the broth and butter. I didn't have beef broth so I used beef boullion and boiling water instead and it still turned out great. Also, used corn starch mixed with water instead to thicken. It was all gone and even my mother loved it to my surprise. A definite WINNER and REPEAT recipe. Thanks Angel.
01/26/2003
When I see FIVE STAR recipes reviewed by this many people, I expect the recipe itself to stand on it's own, with little or no modification. As is, this recipe is a TWO STAR; unless you like somewhat bland mashed potatoes with beef chunks, then I suppose it might be a FOUR STAR. I agree with many of the other reviewers that this DOES need spiced up. I, too, tried the stewed tomatoes, sage, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and worcestershire sauce. After those rather major modifications, I still cannot give this recipe a FIVE because, putting the potatoes in when instructed, I ended up with "tastier mashed potatoes with beef chunks". Being new to cooking stews, I had no idea that the two hour time would be excessive for potatoes. Everyone I've talked to since, including good old mother, said they normally add potatoes the last half hour or so of simmering. Which, makes sense since at about a half hour into the two hours, I got a bit nervous when the potatoes were done, but the carrots were not... AND the flavor had not had enough time to cook into the stew. Since I'm a novice chef and am more apt to "go by the book" rather than invent ideas on my own, I'd request anyone who got the PERFECT combination of spices and time frames together to improve upon this recipe to create a brand new (and improved) entry on this site.
02/10/2003
Like many of the reviewers here, I followed OLIVERCADO's reccomendations (sort by most useful to see his review) and made some adjustments of my own to create this delicious stew. These are the changes I made: 1) From Olivercado: I increased the salt to 3 tsps, and reduced the pepper to 1/2 tsp. I added thyme and sage, but I used 1 tsp each of dried herbs instead of fresh (I omitted the Rosemary). I added 2 bay leaves, 2 TBS worchestershire sauce, and a can of tomatoes, although the ones I had on hand were diced and seasoned with garlic instead of crushed. 2) I cut up a cross rib roast for this dish and so I had about 2.5 lbs instead of 2. 3) I cooked this in the crock pot, having browned the meat and onion first. I cooked on high for 2 hours then reduced the heat to low for about 4 more hours. 4) Because I was using a slow cooker, I reduced the liquid. I added only a cup of beef broth, and a cup of chablis blanc. I usually use red wines or burgandy in beef dishes, but the chablis turned out well giving the finished stew a rich mellow flavor. 5) I used about 5 medium potatoes instead of 6 large. I used a whole chopped yellow onion instead of 12 boiling onions, I used 1/2 lb of prepared (bagged) baby carrots. The stew was rich and flavorful and the consistency just right--no need to thicken. I will definitely make this again although I will probably increase the dried spices to 1 1/2-2 tsps. each and add some green beans. Yum.
10/19/2003
Turned out great, however, I did do the following: #1. Added bay leaf, crushed garlic, oregano & thyme. #2. Do not add the potatoes, carrots and celery until 40 minutes before stew to be done. Bring stew back up to boil, add vegetables, then reduce heat back to low, cover and cook the additional 40 minutes until veggies are done. #3. Like all stews, let sit for at least 1/2 hour before serving. Bon Appetit!
11/11/2002
This is a very delicious and hearty recipe. It will definitely fill you up! I also took much of the advice of OLIVERCADO. You can find the review by searching under most helpful.
10/02/2002
I followed some of the other review tips and added two more teaspoons of salt and cut the pepper in half. I added 2 tsp. of paprika to the flour mixture as well. I also added a pinch of tarragon, thyme, rosemary, sage, two bay leaves and 1 cup of tomato sauce (my kids don't like tomatos and it makes a wonderful color). I threw the potatos, carrots and celery in at the beginning and simmered for two hours and it was VERY tender and delicious. I added another can of beef broth to cover the potatos. Maybe my potatos are bigger :)! Thanks for a wonderfully tasty and easy recipe.
10/24/2002
I have tried many different recipes from allrecipes.com and this is the first one I've just HAD to review. It was awesome! I used 6 cups of water with 6 beef boullion cubes instead of canned broth. I also added a splash of marsala wine and a splash of worcestershire sauce. This was absolutely delicous and will be a lifetime keeper.
04/25/2003
Ok, so I read the reviews prior to making this and I think it didn't work too well for us. I was sure that if I followed the recipe to the T, it would be bland (no seasonings whatsoever). Anyhow, I would agree to add more seasonings to this (thyme, rosemary, sage and bay leaf), but the suggestion of worchestire sauce and tomato sauce really killed it for us. Didn't taste like stew we're used to at least. Next time, I'm skipping the tomato sauce and worchestire and I'm sure it'll work out better for us.
01/03/2006
Great tasting. This made more than I thought. But the left overs are great. I added some frozen peas near the end of cooking. I'll do this again.
12/16/2002
I added a can of diced tomatoes, rosemary and a bay leaf. I also added more salt. I browned the meat & onion and then put everything in a slow cooker. I put the carrots and potatoes in for the last 3 hours. The last half hour I added peas.
02/07/2003
I thought that this recipe was delicious and so did my family. I did make a few adjustments though. I used my crockpot so I browned the meat in a skillet and when that was done I browned the onions and celery in the same skillet and scraped the pan real well to get all of the drippings. I let it cook all day on low THEN for the last half hour or so I turned it up to high and added the potatos and carrots so they wouldn't get too mushy.Also I seasoned the meat and veggies all separately while using low sodium broth. The taste was wonderful last night and I can't wait to taste it today at lunch!
09/11/2006
Excellent Stew! I've been cooking variations of stew for several years and added a few of my favorite ingredients to this recipe. I used a diced yellow onion in place of boiling onions, and eliminated the celery due to personal preference. I added a can of Italian seasoned tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, and 2 tsp. paprika. I thickened with cornstarch in place of flour; and added salt to taste at the end. My picky husband said it was the best stew he'd ever eaten. Great recipe with some very minor changes!
01/10/2003
Very good but I changed it SLIGHLY. I used a large 1 gallon ziplock bag, which allowed me to coat all my beef cubes at once and I browned them in the oil WITH the onions. Once browned, I transfered all to a roaster where I added all the veggies stated. I used 1 can cream of mushroom soup and filled the can with the beef broth and mixed before pouring it over all (dumped it in & then added a LITTLE water...not much). I baked at 350 degrees for about 1-1 1/2hrs. VERY GOOD! Veggies and meat had great taste and we all enjoyed this one. Would make again. Its a easy recipe to prepare in the roaster ahead of time and when you get home, bake! Thanks Margo!
11/23/2002
Excellent easy recipe for beginners. Made a few changes added can of tomatoes, two tablespoons of worcestershire sause, lots of paprika and italian seasoning this added plenty of flavour. Great leftovers just add water.
02/04/2007
This is the best beef stew I've ever had! Sometimes beef stew can be kind of bland. I did use most of OLIVERCADO's suggestions (search reviews and sort by most helpful). I used 2 tsp of salt and about 3/4 tsp of pepper. I also added 1 tsp of sage, 2 tsp of parika, and a pinch of dried rosemary to the ziploc bag and tossed the meat in the spices. When cooking the meat, I added 2 tbls of Worchestire sauce. I browned the meat and onions (whole), and put everything (except the potatoes) in my crock pot at 9:00 this morning. Put the meat on bottom of the celery and carrots on top. I threw in the potatoes the last 4 hours. I cooked the stew on low most of the time and high for about an hour or so towards the end. I used all of the beef broth required in the recipe, and it was perfect. I did not add the flour and water at the end. My husband and I truly loved this on a cold winter day. We had cheese biscuits with it (Cheddar Bay Biscuits, also on this site).:-) This is a new favorite! PS. I added a photo because I agree with others that the original picture almost made me not want to make this recipe. It looks like regular beef stew. I hope the updated picture helps!
08/11/2002
My wife requested stew for supper so we tried this recipe. It was fantastic! We added peas to the recipe and browned the meat in a Wok but other than that we followed the recipe to the letter. We will be eating this one well into the future! Thanks!
11/04/2002
My first beef stew ever and it was fabulous. I took a lot of people's suggestions and would say that by following OLIVERCADO's comments (the one with over 20 "helpful ratings") as a primary guide it was perfect. However, 2 LBS of meat is NOT enough for 12 servings (think about it, that's 2.6 OZ per serving). This recipe could very well sustain another pound of meat (adjust flour dredging mixture accordingly) with leaving all veggies and liquid in tact. I used a beef bouillon paste called "Better than Bouillon" which was just right at 6 cups water/6 tsp. of paste. I did add a 16 oz bag of baby carrots instead of the sliced carrots the recipe called for which made it easier and used dried spices vs. fresh. It was KILLER. I promise.
10/01/2002
Excellent recipe! My jaw hit the floor when my 8 year old got up for seconds. I did as the others suggested and added 1 can of diced tomatoes, Thyme, Rosemary, sage and instead of garlic powder I used real garlic. I didnt have any Worcestershire sauce, so I used a combo of soy sauce and hp sauce. Thanks!!! :)
03/19/2011
Perfect Beef Stew, Stick to the Bones Beef Stew!!! Add 2 Bay Leafs while cooking, and Parsley before serving.
05/02/2002
I thought it was great. I put too much flour in it though to thicken it up. When it cooled I had a block of stew. Try not to make that mistake or you'll never be able to reheat the leftovers!!
03/15/2008
This recipe is good to give you an idea of how to make Beef Stew. I had to make several altercations to this, as to just looking at the ingredients showed it to be a bland recipe. Alterations I used that made this a hit all around. I increased the garlic powder used, to nearly triple. Used the salt and pepper to own preferential tastes. I dredged the meat as intstructed, but in the oil I'd minced up about 3 cloves of fresh garlic. After the meat was done, I added in another clove of minced garlic, and quickly seasoned/fried up the celery/carrots/I used 2 medium onions opposed to boiling ones/potatoes. You don't do this very long, you want the veggies a bit browned, seasonsed and coated. I put the 3 cups of broth in a sauce pan and brought it to a boil with 2 cloves of minced garlic inside the broth. I also added about a half teaspoon of each Italian herbs, Rosemary, Thyme and Oregano. Boiled the meat and broth for 45 minutes, then I added 1/2 cup white wine and the vegetables we'd sauteed earlier. Brought it all to a boil, simmered for 30 minutes. I found no need to add any other fluids/flours to thicken or thin this recipe.
02/25/2003
This was really great! I used sirloin stew meat and it was extremely tender.
01/03/2011
This tasted delicious. I am known to be culinarily challenged and the recipe still turned out great!! I definitely recommend using OLIVERCADO's recommendation!
10/01/2002
I have searched for a good beef stew recipe for what seems like forever. This is it. This stew is excellent. I had more compliments on this than I have had on anything I've cooked in a long time. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. Great recipe,Margo! Thanks
03/18/2003
I'm sorry but this was a bit bland, and the vegetable came out like mush. It was not hearty and flavorful as I was expecting. I will have to put up another great recipe that I have that will blow this one out of the water...
08/15/2009
This beef stew is very good. I will say I am not a big fan of stew meat and used sirlion beef tips instead. I did not have boiling onions so i used a whole onion cut up. I also add a few tsp of gravy master for some additional flavor and two bay leafs. I add the vegetables and potato at the last hour or so of cooking. Freezes very well too.
07/17/2004
Terrific recipe! I read through some of the comments and found one indicating the potatoes she used "broke down" while cooking. This is due to the variety of potato used. Make sure you use Russet Burbank potatoes - specifically Burbanks. Other varieties of potatoes such as Russet Norkotahs, have lower solids (potatoes are mostly water) which causes the potato to break down and turn mushy. Great recipe! It's a keeper!!
03/01/2004
I'd never made beef stew before and found this recipe to be easy and very good. I added some onion powder to the flour mixture and used the pearl onions for ease. As others said, it didn't take the full amount of time to be finished cooking. I was thinking of tossing in some limas or peas next time. Excellent recipe!
02/03/2003
The recipe was easy to follow and it was a big hit in my house!! I only had to make a few minor changes which were: 2 bay leaves, 1 can crushed tomatoes, 2 Tbsp. Worsteshire sauce and 2 Tbsp. Sherry. Also, when I make the next time I won't add quite as much broth - I had to take some of the liquid out & add flour to it and then dump back in to thicken. I made in the crock pot and it took 6-8 hours but was well worth the wait. Highly recommend.
01/25/2003
Some of the best beef stew I have had in a while, a long while. Hearty beef flavor, seasoned just right. Took me back to a time when Mom served the stew up by the wood heater and the heater, the stew, and family made everything OK.
01/01/2004
The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because it needed some flavor -- I added 1 tsp each of rosemary, thyme, and sage, and then it was perfect! I did add the 3 tbsp of flour/water mixture to thicken it up and it was the perfect consistency. Reminded me of the kind of stew my mom used to make! Excellent w/buttermilk biscuits.
01/30/2006
I added a lot more seasonings to the flour and beef in the bag. I added garlic powder, celery seed, pepper, &salt. I also added 3 bay leaves to the simmering pot. You can add any spices to the floyr to give the a very hdown home flavor. TY for this basic recipe :)
09/23/2002
I used a little onion powder in addition to the garlic powder, and used seasoned salt instead of just plain. Excellent!
12/01/2010
Heavenly! I use this recipe to prepare my pot roasts, too, by tossing the entire roast in the recipe's flour/garlic mixture, then browning it before adding the side veggies (whole potatoes and carrots) and broth. Then I leave the entire deal in my crockpot all day, and the resulting roast is THE best roast we've ever had!
11/18/2002
This recipe is wonderful! I've never made beef stew before and was kind of worried that it would taste horrible! Boy was I wrong. The recipe was easy to follow and everyone loved it. You can also brown the meat and then throw everything in a crock pot on high for about 1-2 hrs if you need to leave while its cooking.
09/30/2002
I doubled the recipe and served the whole, big, hungry family, and still have enough for leftovers for dinner tonight. Next time I will use a little less pepper, but it was still quite tasty. Be sure you have a lot of fresh bread to serve with it!
03/21/2003
I changed this recipe around a bit and came up with a wonderful savory dish! I used beef tips instead of Beef Chuck. I rolled it into flour mixed /w salt and pepper, browned it in 2 tbsp oil. I added a can of tomato paste with the broth. I added 3 tbsp Worcesteshire sauce. I also added a pinch or two of Rosemary and a half clove of garlic. This turned out so well!!
08/01/2011
I fixed this last night, and made some of my own changes. I ALWAYS add mustard to a beef that I am going to brown first just because it is a meat tenderizer. Then I roll it in the seasoned flour and turned it on high to brown. NEVER NEVER would I add potatoes until the last 20-30 min. because I want a potatoe to stand on it's own and not be mush. It's like making a cake, why would you just add water when water has no flavor? you add milk. The potatoes have no flavor because they have turned to mush. I also added a can of peas at the end. This is a recipe that has potential, but you just have to play with it and make it your own. Happy cooking everybody!
02/24/2002
I brought this stew to my parent's house one Sunday for dinner and everyone thought it was great (even my 12 year old daughter who isn't fond of stew said it was good). The second time I made it I was short one can of beef broth so instead I added 10 ounces of water with a package of Lipton Dry Onion soup Mix. My family ate it and then I sent some home to my parents. We all agreed it was even better the second time! I FORGOT TO MENTION that both times I added a large drained can of "small" peas the last 10 minutes to warm them up in the stew. This is definitely a keeper (first one I have tried, first one I have reviewed, and first one in my recipe box)!!!
07/23/2002
This was is obviosly a big hit everyone seems to love it as well as us i added a can of stewed tomatoes and some cumin and thyme and it was oh my goodness good my husband really enjoyed it he likes his broths to be thick like cracker barrel and that it was this is my second time making stew and this one is definetly best thanks margo.
01/03/2007
When I first read the recipe, I thought it sounded good, but then saw the photo posted and really wondered if it would be good (photo looked like dog slop). So I pushed the picture to the back of my mind, and proceeded to make the stew. I browned the stew meat in EVOO and then from that point, finished the stew in the slow cooker. I did make some changes, I left out the onions and celery. I also added some Emeril's essence to give the stew some kick, it was very good - almost avoided this one, simply b/c of the picture posted.
07/16/2014
It was nothing but meat flavored potato mush. Then I made it again using the most popular modifications, and it was delicious. Maybe a bit too much rosemary.
03/28/2011
This recipe is lacking in several key areas: lack of adequate seasoning, adding the vegetables wayyyy too early in the cooking time (stew should be simmered 1-2 hrs until meat is tender, then potatoes and onions added for last 35-40 minutes). You can read a lot of the reviews to make the needed improvements (see olivercado and happyapple) but know that this recipe is woefully inadequate as submitted.
07/30/2003
This isn't normally my favorite type of food, but my little boy read about a boy eating stew in a book and really wanted to try it. It is easy and a good basic recipe without too many odd flavors that might throw off a child or picky eater. He ate 2 bowls of it, so looks like it was a winner. I did season as I went along since the potatoes seem to absorb a lot of flavor when they go in. I left the potatoes and carrots out until the last 35min or so like others have suggested and their texture was perfect.
03/29/2003
Excellent stew. Minus a can of beef broth, add a large can of low salt tomato sauce, large can of drained mushrooms(or sautee fresh) and a box of frozen peas....yummy!!!
02/02/2010
Followed recipe pretty exactly but didn't use celery. It was ok...I wasn't that impressed.
01/22/2002
I made this stew tonight for dinner. My family thought it was the best beef stew they ever had. The stew was very flavorful and hearty. I added mushrooms and used some water in place of the beef broth since I only had one can. The stew was still excellent! I will definitely be using this recipe from now on every time I make stew!
11/02/2010
We were in the mood for a stew the way "MeMaw" used to make. Pretty close! Depending on your taste, you might want to add extra seasoning. We also found the beef broth to have a slight after taste, so will probably dilute the broth with water next time. Overall a great stew!
01/18/2006
So...I halved the recipe and used water/bouillon instead of canned broth cuz it was all I had...and I added more liquid than was called for because it made me nervous that everything wasn't submersed. By the time 2 hours was up, the stew was a little bland (which probably had something to do with the extra water I added) so I ended up adding salt (regular and seasoned), pepper, thyme, and garlic powder. I also added some frozen peas, and used red potatoes (skin on). I thought it was a very tasty stew. It honestly wasn't what I was expecting from an "old fashioned" stew, but I'm sure I'll still make this again.
01/22/2008
Good basic recipe - the only changes I make are to add a bay leaf, 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp sugar, fresh garlic, mushrooms, turnips and some frozen peas at the end. I have made this both in the slow cooker and on the stove. Always turns out great. Thanks!
12/07/2002
Wonderful fragrance running through the house. I added a can of diced tomatoes and a sprinkling of Thyme. Also used only one very large potato. Six seems excessive. Will be serving this tomorrow but it tastes great now. Will be served over broad noodles.
04/04/2009
I made this for a friend going through chemo. She eats very little. I called her later and she told me it was so good she ate 2-1/2 bowls! I simmered the browned beef in beef broth along with some V8 & a few bay leaves. Added the onions when they were softened. Let this simmer for a couple of hours or until meat was tender. Then added potatoes, carrots, celery, green beans, corn, tomatoes and peas and let them simmer for an hour or so. There's a lot of nutrition in this recipe and it tastes great! My friend's review was so great, I made another pot for my family. Yummy! We had a nice meal waiting for us after we were done with the yard work. I just stirred it every half hour or so. Delicious!
10/27/2003
What a wonderful stew recipe! I substituted 1C dark beer for 1C broth and added 1 Tbsp worcestershire. I waited until the last 40 minutes to add the potatos, celery and carrots and then added 1 bay leaf, thyme and oregano. It was a big hit and smelled great while it was cooking.
03/17/2003
Bland plus watery stew. My family did not like how it looked and when they tasted it they told me never to make the recipe again. They gave it the thumbs down. Me too.
04/15/2005
SUPER yummy but I made A LOT of changes because I read all of the reviews. I made 1/2 recipe. I added cayenne pepper to the beef coating and 1/2 teaspoon more black pepper. I used 2 cans of beef broth instead of 1 1/2, and I added 1 1/2 bottles of Coronita (little Corona). I used one huge yellow onion instead of the boiling onions. I also added two packets of Mrs. Washington's seasoning (sort of like boullion). In addition, I added 1/2 teaspoon each of dried rosemary, thyme and parsley. Overall it was SUPER good! My boyfriend and I both thought it needed extra salt and a lot more pepper. THREE DAYS LATER: I recommend making half a recipe and eating it that night.
03/22/2003
i am not a stew lover, but my husband is so i tried this recipe and it is amazing. it is warm and comforting and extremly tasty. ill be making it again and looking forward to it myself.
12/22/2008
While I browned the meat, I brought two cans of beef broth to a boil. I removed the meat after it had a nice crust and deglazed the pan with a cup of burgundy wine. Then the beef, broth and wine went into the crock pot with a few bay leaves. The only other change I made was to include some fresh green beans when I added the vegetables. Delicious.
09/28/2009
Wonderful aroma while simmering! Upon others suggestion, I added a splash of worcesire (sp?) sauce, some rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, and a big tomato. I'm not usually a fan of anything with meat in it, but the meat in this came out so tender and flavorful, it was a hit! Will definitely make again. :)(Would give it the extra star, but without the added spices, I think it may have come out a bit bland)
03/05/2006
Great stew! Perfect comfort food! I use yellow onion if I can't find the boiler onions.
10/08/2003
Very flavorful. Gravy was very thick. The Beef was as tender as can be.
09/15/2006
Excellent recipe. I loved the onions. I added a little of sherry wine and three bay leaves. Then let it simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
12/28/2002
This is the best stew I have ever had. I also added a can of crushed tomatoes and some extra spices. I will make again and again.
11/09/2003
Awesome, and easy to make. Used comments from others, in adding the extra spices, worcestershire, oregano, bay leaf, and putting the vegetables in about 1/2 hour later so the meat can get really tender.
01/28/2009
It was ok...I made it while we were camping, and it was good...but not great...
02/23/2003
Good basic beef stew recipe but needed something extra to make it great. Added 3 tsp. worchestershire, 1 extra tsp. salt, 1 can diced tomatoes and 2 small cans sliced mushrooms and it turned out wonderfully.
09/18/2003
Very good. The meat was very tender, the gravy was perfect. I followed the recipe exactly as written. I felt that there was no need to add any-thing.
07/30/2005
It hasn't been mentioned that cooking the potatoes for two hours makes them fall apart and become practically non-existant. I suppose that what helps thicken the gravy. Even though I turned the burner on low, it was bubbling away under the lid so I had to stir it often. I really like chunky potatoes in my stew so getting to the point...this is a good recipe and I like the flavors. It is what basic old fashioned stew is supposed to taste like...no worcestershire sauce or tomato sauce. Next time, I'm going to follow the directions precisely except add the potatoes 1/2 hour before the stew is to be done so that the stew will be chunky. I realize that might effect the thickness of the gravy so I'll add the flour, water mix at the end too (which I didn't need to do because it was already so thick this time). Cooking the meat for so long makes the meat very tender.
11/01/2009
Boring & Bland. This recipe is truly missing flavor when made as written. I will not make again.
02/25/2006
It was a nice basic recipe. I cut the potatoes in big chunks and left the skins on so they would get too mushy. I used a ziploc bag to evenly coat the meat with flour and herbs. I also added cooking sherry. Oh, and I added a bit of tomato paste for flavor. Nice basics but this recipe needs some flavor.
05/31/2002
Very good recipe. Next time I'd use 1/2 tsp. pepper instead of a full teaspoon because it was a little too peppery for my taste.
07/15/2006
I used a combination of this recipe and another recipe from this site. I did use the flour mixture to bread the meat but added 1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper for an extra kick. I didn't have 3 cans of broth so I used 2 beef stock cubes, 2 cups of water and 1 can of broth with 1 can of water. I also used chopped white onion because that's all I had and added a pinch of thyme and 3 bay leaves. Actually it was thick enough after about an hour that I didn't add anything at the end for thickening. My husband loved it and thanked me for the great meal!
01/19/2004
What a disappointment after the 5 star build up. It is a technical start with good proportions of meat and veggie, but there is nothing to make it yummy. If you read the reviews you will see that the people who loved it added all their favorite seasonings, sauces etc. If you feel comfortable doing that, just improvise with amounts of meat you have and veggies you like. You really don't even need this recipe. Did anyone mention that mixing 3T flour and 1T cold water makes a biscuit dough consistency which is a crazy way to thicken a liquid unless lumps are the way you like it. Add enough water to make a pourable consistency.
11/23/2009
Awesome stew- perfect for a rainy day! I added salt and fresh herbs to spice it up a bit more. Also added a few bay leaves and substituted some of the beef broth with an oatmeal stout. The beef got sooo tender it was delicious! I've made this a few times now it is a favorite for sure!
08/16/2002
I really did not like this recipe. The recipe is very basic, so I thought maybe something simple would taste great. After we made it, it had a very strong celery taste that I didn't like. There was nothing special about it. We had a pot of pretty bland stew. Ended up adding some wine, pepper, and more spices to get this to be edible.
12/18/2009
good
04/25/2002
This recipe was wonderful and really easy to make. I doubled the salt and added fresh minced garlic when browning the meat and onions. Also I added peas.
11/12/2003
I have been making this recipe for about a year now. Adding the vegetables in at the end is key, because the longer it simmers, the better it is and they will get mushy. I also add fresh green beans and add gravy master to give it extra dimension, and a more robust flavor. Using a high quality beef stock (or homemade) makes all the difference in the world. Another tip: Salt your beef after frying with kosher salt immediately. It adds all the extra spice needed. It freezes great too, so make extra!
02/06/2008
I love this recipe! It's really simple but so delicious! Every time another blizzard hits, I make another pot it. I even raved about it to the family and made some for them, when I visited home this past winter. They loved it! The smell from the kitchen is incredible, and I have the hardest time keeping my fingers out of the beef, while I'm preparing it. Thanks for this great recipe! This one's a keeper!
10/02/2003
This beef stew is an excellent starter stew! I added my own special touch to make it the best stew I've ever had! I added meat tenderizer and seasoned salt to the flour mixture. I cooked my meat in kitchen bouquet and worchestershire sauce along with the oil. I also used chopped onion instead of whole small onions. Along with ingredients listed on recipe, I added a half bag of frozen peas and a bag of frozen corn. For extra flavor I added a can of tomato soup, and used 5 beef boullion cubes instead of the beef broth in a can. Then I added some louisiana hot sauce and sprinkled in some brown sugar to top it off!! It was Mmmmm MMMmmmmm GOOD!!! Hope this helps!
11/29/2002
My husband and my (very picky teenaged daughter) just love this stew. It takes a while to make, but is very much worth the time. Great to fix on the cold days. Thanks. Jane K.
04/02/2013
My 7 year old devoured a huge bowl of this and then asked for more. I have never in my life seen my daughter eat beef this quickly and then ask for more. That in and of itself earns 5 stars. I did make some tweaks to the recipe, based on some dietary restrictions for our family. We can't have starchy foods, so omitted the potatoes and flour. I also used just a regular large purple onion and only 3 carrots and 3 celery stalks. I didn't have chuck on hand, but had some thick sirloin (which we tend to like the taste of sirloin in stews better than chuck anyhow). Used 2 cups of homemade chicken broth. I didn't mess with the stove, just threw the ingredients into the crock pot. I was leery of using so much garlic powder (especially since the powder I have is very potent, fresh from a garlic farm), but went with the seasonings as noted and hoped for the best. I think I could have decreased the garlic, salt and pepper just a tiny bit (all 3 of us were drinking lots of water the rest of the evening). I was also wondering if just those 3 seasoning ingredients would be enough flavor. But it was really, really delicious. We had NO leftovers! Two adults and a 7 year old ate the entire pot of stew in one meal. And my husband and daughter wanted to know when I was going to make this again.
10/18/2008
This turned out great! My dad especially loves it. Everytime I make it he takes all the leftovers home and eats it for the next few days. No complaints here!
01/17/2010
Excellent base recipe! This is just what I was looking for: A thick hearty soup with tender beef stew meat. I make beef stew a lot in the crock pot, but have never liked the meat because it was tough. I was searching for a recipe that gave me tender meat and this was it! Wow! I did add more seasonings, but the overall I followed the recipe to the letter. It is well written and easy to follow! I love it! If you are looking for a tender beef stew recipe that your whole family will love; give this a try!
06/11/2013
Delicious beef stew! Better than the crock pot version I make. I followed the first step as written. I heated olive oil and browned up the meat, I set the meat aside and chopped a whole onion and sautéed with 2 tbs of unsalted butter, to that I added about 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes. I added 5 chopped carrots and 3 chopped celery to the pot and sautéed for 1 min. Then I added 2 1/2 cups water and 2 tbs beef bouillon, I seasoned with a few sprinkles of thyme and 2 bay leafs and a few splashes of worchestire sauce, I added the beef and covered for 1 hour, then I added 2 chopped potatoes and finished cooking for 40 min. I let the beef stew rest for 30 min. It was so good it barely needed salt! I served it with brown rice. YUM!
10/29/2003
This is an excellent stew. Instead of the small onions I just used one diced medium onion and it worked perfectly fine. I think next time I may add a couple dashes of worchestershire sauce to give it a little more zip.
01/17/2003
This was just plain old cold night terrific comfort stew! I read the reviews and added, thyme, rosemary, worchester, a can of diced tomatoes and towards the end a splash of sherry. As my Dad would say, "It tastes like more"
01/31/2008
This is a beef stew that my 16year old babysitter, who hates MEAT and ALL VEGGIES can eat TWO CUPS of! This is a beef stew that my 3 and 4 year old will eat and ask for seconds...veggies and all!! I highly recommend trying to use less beef broth (add a tablespoon of beef broth powder) and 2 10oz cans of crushed tomatoes!!! wow..flavor EXPLOSION! a MUST eat in this house!
04/18/2009
First I have to tell you-I have never even dreamed of making beef stew. This was DELICIOUS! I can't believe how easy it is to make stew. I really love that it's cooked on the stove instead of a slow cooker cause I was craving it now! My changes: precut LEAN stew beef; I used steak seasoning instead of garlic, salt and pepper; used 1/2 c cooked barley added at the end instead of potatoes; and probably used more broth-I didn't measure, just added till covered; and I didn't have to add any flour at the end, the gravy was thick the whole time it cooked. YUMMY! One more thing, I tried to used crisco butter spray instead of oil, but no sizzle of the meat, so then I used the oil and voila! So I wonder if this is why it tasted buttery once it was done? That is fine with me though. And maybe I will add peas to it next time. I will definitely make this again!
02/26/2004
This recipe is very close to the one I have used for years, however, I substitute 1 can of tomato sauce, then fill the same can with approx. 3/4 water, a pinch of sugar and let it cook. Same great taste with a tomato based sauce. Delicious recipe!
11/23/2010
I made my own variation. I used canned potatoes, canned mushrooms, baby carrots chopped up and boiled and regular onion ½ of one is good. Turnips or squash chunks would be an idea to add in too. No celery. I also added a cup of water while cooking so it wasn't as thick. It may have been the water added but taste after everything is cooked, it was a tiny bit bland, but still good, nothing a little salt can't fix!
01/17/2003
This was just delicious. I was a little nervous about browning the meat since I never have good luck at that, but I used one reviewer's suggestion and used a wok. I will never brown meat in a pan again! It cooked slowly and made a nice crust on the meat - what a great smell!! I put mine in a slow cooker and used a cornstarch mixture to thicken it to my liking at the end. I also added 4 tbsp of worches. sauce and 1/4 cup of red wine - what a great dinner - thanks!!
10/10/2005
Great recipe but a little bland so I added rosemary, thyme, garlic powder and some beef bouillon granules. I also only added in half the potatoes from the start and then the other half about 30 minutes before it was done, so I would have chunky potato pieces. The thickening mixture of flour and water results in balls of flour in the stew but it does work. It killed the flavor of the stew a bit but just add more spices after that. I also added in a tablespoon of Dijon mustard for kicks as well, along with mushrooms. Instead of boiling onions, I used one regular chopped onion. I'd recommend just adding whatever veggies you like!
11/23/2002
Didn't turn out all that well. Won't make again
10/28/2013
Perfect! Really perfect. The only thing I added was fresh garlic, and tomato paste. I have my new favorite beef stew.
10/15/2007
This was a good starting point for beef stew. I started cooking at 9 am, so the meat was super tender by 3, when we ate it. I added 1 small can of v8, 1 tsp sage, 2 bay leaves, 3 dashes worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, about 2 tsp more salt, and a little more pepper. As another reviewer suggested, I added about 2 tsp paprika to the flour for dredging. I added my potatoes about 1 hr before the stew was done. I also added a can of sweet peas. As my stew was cooking, it was pretty greasy looking, though it seemed to look better after I added the potatoes. Next time I will cut some of the fat off of the meat. The stew turned out pretty darn good, but I made many alterations.
02/26/2009
Not bad, but not the most fantastic Beef Stew I've made. Needed extra salt and seasoning, as well as tomato sauce and a few TBSP of Worshershire sauce.
06/14/2002
This was a big hit at home. I usually don't follow recipes exactly, but my husband and guests agree that this was wonderful! thanks.
12/30/2003
I thought this was a really great stew. I followed the advice of the others and added the potatoes and celery half way through, but I should have done the same with the onions because they were nowhere to be seen by the end. The carrots were perfect being put in from the beginning. Also added a few squirts of ketchup and some worcestershire sauce. Delish!
11/30/2003
I have been using this recipe for a long time now. I found it while searching for an easy beef stew recipe and I haven't used any other recipe since! My family loves it and it even beats my grandfather's award winning recipe.
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23890/angels-old-fashioned-beef-stew/
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