Nan's Hearty Beef Stew

This bourguignon-style hearty beef stew is a very flavorful comfort food that's relatively easy to prepare. A complete and balanced meal, it comes together in one pot (cast iron Dutch oven works best) that slow cooks in the oven. This would probably adapt well to cooking in a large countertop slow cooker, but I've not tried that method.
I prefer using pork belly rather than bacon, but my grocery had run out. The only bacon I ever buy is Wright brand thick cut. It's excellent! I also love using whole garlic cloves in this because roast garlic is SO delicious (and I'm a junkie when it comes to garlic and onions). I buy the bag of already peeled fresh garlic cloves just to save a little work. The whole garlic cloves get a deep, roasted flavor and melt into the broth completely.
Leftovers freeze really well and are just as delicious when reheated! I like to vacuum seal for the freezer. So don't skip making this because you're a 1 or 2 person household: you'll just have more leftovers to freeze and enjoy later on with no work at all!
Nan's Hearty Beef Stew
This bourguignon-style hearty beef stew is a very flavorful comfort food that's relatively easy to prepare. A complete and balanced meal, it comes together in one pot (cast iron Dutch oven works best) that slow cooks in the oven. This would probably adapt well to cooking in a large countertop slow cooker, but I've not tried that method.
I prefer using pork belly rather than bacon, but my grocery had run out. The only bacon I ever buy is Wright brand thick cut. It's excellent! I also love using whole garlic cloves in this because roast garlic is SO delicious (and I'm a junkie when it comes to garlic and onions). I buy the bag of already peeled fresh garlic cloves just to save a little work. The whole garlic cloves get a deep, roasted flavor and melt into the broth completely.
Leftovers freeze really well and are just as delicious when reheated! I like to vacuum seal for the freezer. So don't skip making this because you're a 1 or 2 person household: you'll just have more leftovers to freeze and enjoy later on with no work at all!
Steps
- 1
Preheat oven to 350° F.
- 2
Place half the onion pieces in the bottom of a heavy (cast iron) Dutch oven. Place the meat pieces in a bowl and sprinkle with flour. Toss to distribute the flour. Shake off excess flour, and place meat in the Dutch oven.
- 3
Add remaining onions, baby carrots, whole garlic cloves, thyme bundle, sugar and half of the pork belly (or bacon) pieces, and half of the mushrooms.
- 4
Mix together the red wine, tomato paste, Better Than Bouillon, salt and pepper and pour over all. (NOTE: The Better Than Bouillon will mix in better if first dissolved in a little very hot water.) Cover top of meat with a piece of parchment paper (cut to fit) and place lid on pot. Place Dutch oven on middle shelf of oven and bake for 90 minutes.
- 5
Meanwhile, fry the remaining pork belly (or bacon) to your preferred crispiness and remove to drain on paper towels. Quickly brown the remaining mushrooms, drain and set aside with the crisp pork.
- 6
Cut the navel orange into quarters. Remove the orange (eat it) and remove as much pith from the peels as possible. I found the best tool was a very sharp small parring knife. Not too easy, so just remove as much as you can. Discard the pith.
- 7
Remove pot from oven and remove the parchment paper. Add the orange peels using tongs to push the peels down, burying in various spots of the pot to infuse into the cooking liquid. If the liquid has thickened too much, stir in a bit of hot water.
- 8
Add the potatoes. Cover with the circle of parchment paper and the lid. Return to oven for about 90 minutes, or until meat is fork tender. Remove the thyme bundle and orange peels. Garnish with the reserved crispy pork belly (bacon) and browned mushrooms.
- 9
Serve in bowls with some of the cooking liquids (aka pot liquor) to sop up. I like crusty dinner rolls with mine, but cornbread muffins are also excellent.
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