Best Stick To Your Ribs Beef Stew A Comfort Food 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.

OLD-FASHIONED BEEF STEW

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew image

This classic stick-to-your-ribs stew is the ideal project for a chilly weekend. Beef, onion, carrots, potatoes and red wine come together in cozy harmony. If you are feeding a crowd, good news: It doubles (or triples) beautifully.

Provided by Molly O'Neill

Categories dinner, one pot, soups and stews, main course

Time 2h30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound beef stewing meat, trimmed and cut into inch cubes
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup red wine
3 1/2 cups beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt

Steps:

Combine the flour and pepper in a bowl, add the beef and toss to coat well. Heat 3 teaspoons of the oil in a large pot. Add the beef a few pieces at a time; do not overcrowd. Cook, turning the pieces until beef is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch; add more oil as needed between batches.
Remove the beef from the pot and add the vinegar and wine. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the beef, beef broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.
Cover and cook, skimming broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add the onions and carrots and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Add broth or water if the stew is dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle among 4 bowls and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 494, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 54 grams, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 35 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 1604 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams