This is how we STEW it! Get your ingredients and glass of wine ready because tonight, we're making stew for dinner: TruBeef and Bacon Stew.
We had grown to really love the prep and taste of beef bourguignon. However, that dish is not always ideal to make, especially during the workweek. If we don't have the additional time, we turn to this quicker, just as wonderfully delicious, recipe.
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Two things we love most about this recipe are, one, it pairs great with a glass of wine, and, two, it creates a lot of scraps for our compost, which makes for a happy garden when the season arrives again. For now, enjoy this hearty stew on a cold wintery night, or serve over a bowl of mashed Japanese sweet potatoes.
Some things you will need!
To complete this recipe, make sure you have this all ready to go:
TruBeef and Bacon Stew
Ingredients
1 bottle of red wine, minus a glass for yourself 😜
1 grass-fed grass-finished Chuck Roast, about 1.5 pounds
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 package Applegate bacon
3 medium-sized red onions
3 medium-sized carrots
8 cloves of garlic
4 sprigs of thyme
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup parsley leaves
Side of bread, for serving (optional)
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Directions
Preheat oven to 300°F.
To start, begin prepping your meat by cutting the beef into 2" cubes on your antibacterial cutting board (also known as your cutting board for meat and fish). It’s okay if they’re not the exact size, just try to cut them into evenly-sized pieces so they will cook the same. Transfer the beef to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and set aside.
Cut the bacon into 1" pieces, then transfer to a large Dutch oven. Set the Dutch oven on the stove, but do not turn the stove on yet!
On a different cutting board, begin prepping your vegetables. Cut each onion in half. Remove and discard the peels in your compost or garage. Then cut each half in half again. You should end up with 12 quarters altogether. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Peel 3 carrots. Cut off and discard the tops. (Again, the peels and tops would be great for the compost!) Cut each carrot into hefty-sized chunks, as big or small as you would like. Transfer the carrot pieces into a separate medium bowl.
Smash the 8 garlic cloves and peel off the skins. Discard the skins in your compost or garage. Add to the bowl with carrots.
Heat the Dutch oven over medium flame on the stovetop. Cook the bacon pieces, stirring often, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a large bowl, leaving the bacon fat behind in the Dutch oven.
Increase heat to medium-high. Using tongs, add beef in a single layer. Cook until well browned on one side, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then turn and cook until well browned on the other side. Once browned on both sides, transfer the beef to the bowl with bacon.
Reduce the heat back to medium. Add the onions to the Dutch oven, and lower the flame. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the onions over and cook until browned on the other side,
Add the carrots, garlic, and sprigs of thyme. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is beginning to turn golden, about 2 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and stir until all the vegetables are coated.
Open the bottle of wine and pour some out into a glass for your homie...as long as you are the homie getting that glass. The remaining bottle gets poured into the Dutch oven, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to get up any stuck bits. While stirring occasionally, cook until it comes to a simmer. Add the beef and bacon, along with any juices they have accumulated. Add water, just enough to cover the beef, and return to a simmer.
Cover the Dutch oven with a lid, then transfer it to the oven. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Uncover the Dutch oven, stir the stew, then continue to cook until the beef is very tender, about another 30 minutes longer.
While the stew is cooking, finely chop the parsley and transfer it to a small bowl.
Taste and season stew with salt, if needed. Serve in a bowl, topped with parsley and an optional side of toasted bread for dipping.
