Best Comfort Food Essentials Awesome Beef Brat Stew Recipes

ULTIMATE BEEF STEW

Ultimate Beef Stew image

Ina Garten couldn't possibly have known when she started working on her latest cookbook how much we'd all need comfort food right now. She came up with the concept for Modern Comfort Food more than two years ago, figuring the book would arrive just before the presidential election and that we might be a bit stressed. "Little did I know that 2020 would bring so much more," she says. "Right now I think we just want really simple comforting foods that make us feel good." In many ways, the book seems meant to be. "It was the easiest one I've ever written. I tend to gravitate toward comfort food anyway, and I found that the book just flowed in a way I don't ever remember." Many of the recipes are the culmination of years of experimentation and taste memories. This beef stew was inspired by the takeout stews Ina and Jeffrey ate in their tent when they camped outside Paris in the spring and summer of 1971. "Over the years I learned a lot about what makes beef stew really delicious," she says. "A nice red wine, short ribs instead of chuck. It's a classic recipe, just done in a more modern way."

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories main-dish

Time 3h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

3 tablespoons good olive oil
4 ounces small-diced pancetta
3 pounds boneless short ribs, cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks (4 1/2 pounds on the bone)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1 cup hearty red wine, such as a Côtes du Rhône or Chianti, divided
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cups chopped fennel, trimmed and cored (1 large bulb)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, including the juices
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef broth, such as College Inn
1 pound carrots, scrubbed and cut 1/2 inch thick diagonally
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, 1-inch diced
10 ounces frozen peas

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 300˚ F.
Heat the oil in a large (11- to 12-inch) Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
Meanwhile, season the short ribs all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Brown half the meat in the Dutch oven over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a bowl and brown the second batch. (Don't cook them all in one batch or they won't brown!) Transfer the second batch to the bowl and set aside.
Off the heat, add the Cognac and 1/3 cup of the wine to the pot, scraping up any browned bits, then simmer over medium heat for one minute. Add the onions and fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
Stir the tomatoes and tomato paste into the vegetables. Add the remaining 2/3 cup of wine, the beef broth, the seared meat (and juices), 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and bake for 1 1/4 hours, checking occasionally to be sure the liquid is simmering.
Degrease the stew, if necessary. Stir in the carrots and potatoes, cover and bake for one hour longer, until the vegetables and meat are very tender when tested with a fork. Just before serving, stir in the peas and pancetta, taste for seasonings and serve hot in large, shallow bowls.

COMFORT ESSENTIALS: HEARTWARMING BEEF STEW

Comfort Essentials: Heartwarming Beef Stew image

It is a cold Winter's eve... the winds are howling, and low-grey clouds scutter overhead with the promise of more snow to come. It is a cold, bleak, and dreary kind of day, and Springtime is so far down the road that you cannot even see it. What do you need... You need a hearty, comforting stew. This recipe began as one that...

Provided by Andy Anderson !

Categories Beef

Time 3h20m

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

PLAN/PURCHASE
4 c chicken stock, not broth
8 oz white or brown button mushrooms, cleaned stemmed, and quartered or thickly sliced (reserve stems)
4 - 6 slice bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
sweet butter, unsalted, or duck fat, as needed
2 lb chuck roast, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) cubes
1/4 c flour, all-purpose variety
salt, kosher variety, to taste
white pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1/2 c sherry
1/2 c dijon mustard, i prefer grey poupon
1/4 c red wine
OPTIONAL ITEMS
carrots, thick cut on the diagonal
baby red potatoes, halved
additional veggies of your choice
2 - 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, added at the end with the wine

Steps:

1. PREP/PREPARE
2. Chef's Note: This is the kind of recipe that you make when you want to spend a bit of time in the kitchen. I can spend a day in the kitchen any season; however, I especially love being in the kitchen in the cold days of Winter... I will make hearty stews and soups, and bake lots of bread. Let the winds howl, and the snows come, I am comfortably ensconced in my secure kitchen.
3. Chef's Tip: To give the beef a bit more depth, place the cubed beef in a small bowl and add a bit of red wine, then cover, and place in the fridge for an hour or two. It really makes a big difference.
4. Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
5. Add the chicken stock to a saucepan.
6. Chop up the mushroom stems, and add to the stock.
7. Lightly simmer for 20 minutes.
8. Strain out the mushroom stems, and reserve.
9. Add the diced bacon to a heavy-bottomed pot, over medium-low heat.
10. Cook until the bacon begins to crisp and renders out all its fat, about 6 - 8 minutes.
11. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and reserve in a large bowl.
12. Raise the heat to medium, add the onions to the pot, and cook in the bacon grease until softened (not browned), about 5 - 6 minutes.
13. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon, and add to the bowl with the bacon.
14. Add the mushrooms to the pot, and cook until they begin to soften, and start to brown, about 15 - 18 minutes.
15. Remove from the pot, and add to the bowl with the other reserved ingredients.
16. Place a rack in the bottom position, and preheat the oven to 265f (130c).
17. Add a bit of salt and pepper to the flour, and coat the beef cubes with the mixture.
18. Chef's Note: If needed, add a tablespoon or two of sweet, unsalted, butter (or duck fat) to the pot, to supplement the bacon grease.
19. Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the beef cubes in two batches, until nicely browned on all sides, about 6 - 10 minutes per batch.
20. Chef's Note: On the second batch, if the pot needs more fat, add another tablespoon or two of sweet, unsalted, butter, or duck fat.
21. Add the beef to the bowl with the onions, bacon, and mushrooms.
22. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sherry, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the fonds that developed while browning the beef.
23. Add the stock and mustard, and mix to combine.
24. Return the bacon, onions, mushrooms, and beef to the pan, then stir to combine.
25. Bring the pot to the boil, and then place, covered, into the preheated oven.
26. Cook until the beef is fork tender, about 1.5 - 2 hours.
27. Chef's Note: If you are adding additional veggies, like carrots, add them to the pot about 45 - 60 minutes before fully cooked. If you are adding potatoes, place them in the pot about 30 minutes before the beef is fully cooked.
28. Open the oven, stir in the red wine, then cover, and allow to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
29. Do not forget to taste, and adjust for proper seasoning.
30. PLATE/PRESENT
31. Serve while nice and hot. Enjoy.
32. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

COMFORT FOOD ESSENTIALS: AWESOME BEEF & BRAT STEW

Comfort Food Essentials: Awesome Beef & Brat Stew image

Autumn is in the air. While I was sitting outside this morning, it was cool enough to see your breath. I even had to turn on one of the IR heaters... With Fall approaching, I begin to turn my attention to more hardy fare, and soups, stews, and chilies are at the top of that list. This is a fun recipe to make, packs a lot of punch, and will warm you up on even the coldest of days. So, you ready... Let's get into the kitchen.

Provided by Andy Anderson ! @ThePretentiousChef

Categories Beef

Number Of Ingredients 25

Ingredients

PLAN/PURCHASE
1 1/2 pound(s) charcoal steak, cut into bite-size cubes
1/4 cup(s) flour, all-purpose variety
- salt, kosher variety, to taste
- black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- grapeseed oil, for browning the beef
2 medium brats, cut into thick slices, i used johnsonville, about 8 ounces
1 cup(s) beer
1 cup(s) beef stock
1 cup(s) filtered water
2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
2 teaspoon(s) dehydrated onions, ground to a powder
1 teaspoon(s) dried oregano
1 teaspoon(s) dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon(s) dried basil
2 - 3 medium dried bay leaves
1 pound(s) small golden potatoes, halved or quartered
2 medium carrots, thickly cut on the bias
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thickly sliced
2 medium celery ribs, thickly cut on the bias
OPTIONAL ITEMS
- cayenne pepper, for heat
- red-pepper flakes, for heat
- a bit more cumin, you can never have enough cumin
- freshly baked (still warm) crusty french bread

Steps:

PREP/PREPARE
I am using charcoal steak for the recipe, because they have a lot of flavor, and tenderize well in the braise liquid.
To give this recipe more of a deep flavor, I am using homemade bone broth, in place of the beef stock. If you are looking for a simple recipe to make bone broth, check this one out. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/soup/beef-soup/cooking-essentials-beef-bone-marrow-broth.html?r=3
Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
Place a rack in the bottom position, and preheat the oven to 350f (175c).
Add the flour; along with some salt and pepper, to a bowl.
Add the cubed beef, and toss to coat.
Add about a tablespoon of grapeseed oil to a heavy-bottomed pot, over medium-to-medium-high heat.
Add half the flour-coated beef, and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 - 7 minutes
When nice and brown, remove and reserve.
Add a bit more grapeseed oil to the pot, then brown the remainder of the beef, and reserve.
Add the sliced brats, slightly brown, and then add to the reserved beef.
Reduce the heat to medium, remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan, and then add the onions.
Stir until they begin to soften, about 3 - 4 minutes.
Deglaze the pot by pouring in the beer, and allowing it to simmer for 2 - 3 minutes.
Chef's Note: While the beer is simmering, use a wooden spoon to scrape up the fonds that have developed on the bottom of the pot.
Add the sliced brats, the reserved beef, the beef stock, water, the dry spices, and then bring up to a simmer.
Cover, and place into the preheated oven for 1 hour.
While the stew is baking, prep the veggies.
After 1 hour, add the veggies to the pot, give it a stir, and put back into the oven, until the beef is tender, and the veggies are cooked, an additional 45 - 60 minutes.
Chef's Note: While you have the pot out of the oven, give it a taste, and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
Chef's Tip: The veggies will be ready when they can be easily pierced with a paring knife.
Chef's Note: Do not forget to remove the bay leaves, and do a final tasting for proper seasoning, before serving.
PLATE/PRESENT
Serve in big bowls, with some crusty bread to sop up all those amazing juices. Enjoy.
Keep the faith, and keep cooking.