Beef Stew

I have never been a huge fan of beef stew but usually once a year I get a hankering for it.  Part of the reason is that I like my vegetables to not be mushy which is why I use small vegetables in almost whole pieces. This time I wanted to really develop good flavour so it wasn't just some beef broth with meat and veggies in it.  My inspiration came from the pantry vegetables I still have from the CSA (onions, potatoes, garlic).  I read quite a few recipes and came up with one of my own.  I have to say I was pretty pleased with the results and it was all because the broth was so delicious.  They key was working the stock all day so it was full of layers of flavour and marinating the meat again to build the flavour base.

Beef Stock
20 cups of water
10 beef boullion cubes
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Bunch of fresh parsley
1 T black peppercorns, crushed
2 T kosher salt
1 t fennel seeds, crushed
1 t ground sage
3 bay leaves
1 whole onion, cut into quarters
1 large carrot, cut into chunks
4 cloves of garlic, in skin and smashed
2 celery stalks, cut into quarters

Combine all the ingredients in large stock pot, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and let cook on stove uncovered for several hours. Stock should reduce by half.  Drain out vegetables & herbs and reserve stock to make stew. 

Marinated Beef
1 1/2 lb beef chuck, cut into 1" chunks
Salt & Pepper
3 bay leaves
2 cloves of garlic, peeled & smashed
Good quality red wine

Make sure beef is cut into pieces all similar in size and seasoned with salt & pepper. Place in a glass bowl with bay leaves and garlic. Pour enough wine to just cover the meat  Put mixture in fridge and let it sit at least 4 hours or as much as overnight.  Remove bay leaves and garlic.  Scoop meat from wine with a slotted spoon and reserve both  meat and wine.

Beef Stew
Olive Oil
1 c of flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
Marinated Beef
1 1/2 lb boiling onions, peeled
1 lbs fingerling potatoes, cut in half
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stems
1 sprig of rosemary, leaved minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
Reserved wine from beef marinade
1 lb baby carrots
Beef Stock

Heat oil in a large dutch oven.  Dredge meat lightly in seasoned flour.  Shake excess flour off meat before placing in dutch oven.  Brown meat on all sides and if necessary do so in batches taking care not to crowd the pan.  Set browned meat aside.  Add more oil to the dutch oven if needed.  Put onion in dutch oven and cook 2-3 minutes and then add potatoes and garlic.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in thyme, rosemary and tomato paste.  Add red wine and make sure heat is on high.  Bring wine to a boil and ensure you are deg-lazing the bottom of the pan.  Add beef and carrots and then pour in beef stock.  Add just enough stock to cover the meat and vegetables.  This is a big mistake people make in adding too much stock so then it boils the meat and doesn't taste as good.  Once this mixture is simmering, turn the heat to low, cover and cook 1 hour until vegetables are cooked and meat is tender.  Serve with chopped parsley on top. 

BEEF STEW