Beef Stew

beef braised with extra caramelized onion, tomato paste, and balsamic for a little sweetness

Makes 3 servings · 504 kcal per serving

Ingredients

• 500 g Beef Stew Meat
• 225 g Onion
• 225 g Carrot
• 9 g Garlic
• 35 g Tomato Paste
• 118 g Red Wine
• 250 g Beef Stock
• 5 g Balsamic Vinegar
• 2.5 g Soy Sauce
• 2 g White Sugar
• 1 g Black Pepper
• 2.5 g Salt

Method

1. 1. Season the beef and brown it in a hot pan in batches; don't crowd the pan. Remove and set aside.
2. 2. In the same pan, cook the sliced onions with a pinch of salt over medium heat until deeply caramelized. Add the garlic and cook 1 min.
3. 3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 min until it darkens.
4. 4. Deglaze with the red wine, scraping up the browned bits, and let it reduce briefly.
5. 5. Return the beef and add the beef stock, carrots, balsamic, soy sauce, sugar, and pepper (and the bay leaf and celery, if using).
6. 6. Simmer, covered, until the beef is fork-tender, ~2½–3 h.
7. 7. Uncover and raise the heat to reduce the liquid to a thick sauce. Serve over mashed potato or another starch.

Notes

The author prefers short ribs or another rib cut (sold as "rib fingers" in the Netherlands) in place of stew meat.