Dutch Oven Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, cut into wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 4 carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Before you cook

• Trim the big pockets of fat from the chuck and cut the meat into 1 1/2-inch cubes.
• Pat the beef very dry with paper towels and season it with the salt and pepper.
• Toss the seasoned beef with the flour until every cube is lightly coated.
• Cut the onions into wedges and the potatoes and carrots into chunks.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
3. Brown the beef in three batches, giving each batch about 6 minutes and turning the cubes so several sides get crusty.
4. Move each finished batch to a plate before starting the next, so the pot never crowds.
5. Add the onion wedges to the empty pot and cook for 5 minutes, scraping the browned bits loose.
6. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until the paste darkens to brick red.
7. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot clean with a wooden spoon.
8. Boil the wine for 4 minutes to cook off its raw edge.
9. Return the beef and any juices on the plate to the pot.
10. Add the beef broth, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and Worcestershire sauce.
11. Bring the stew to a simmer on the stove, then cover it and slide it into the oven.
12. Braise for 1 hour and 45 minutes without touching it.
13. Pull the pot out and stir in the potatoes and carrots.
14. Cover and return the stew to the oven for another 45 minutes, until the vegetables and beef are both fork-tender.
15. Set the pot on the stove and skim any fat from the surface.
16. Stir in the frozen peas and let them heat through for 3 minutes.
17. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems, taste for salt, and scatter the parsley over the top.