This is not a slow-cooker recipe — it’s gently slow-cooked in the oven, which brings out deeper, richer flavors. This rosemary garlic beef stew takes a bit of attention, but the result is a comforting, homemade dish worth the effort.
In our household, stews are a regular meal. I make a large pot so there are leftovers for lunches or dinners through the week, and my husband is great at transforming those leftovers into new meals. Sometimes he reduces the stew down until it has a shredded, almost pulled-pork texture; other times he thickens the sauce and serves it with fried eggs. This one recipe can become many different, delicious meals.
The cooking process is relaxing for me. It begins with browning the beef to seal in juices and build flavor, then creating a savory gravy with onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms — classic stew ingredients that meld into a single, flavorful pot of comfort. Rosemary is added partway through; its fragrant, pine-like notes are a perfect match for beef.
We serve generous bowls of this stew with crusty bread, creamy mashed potatoes, or brown rice — sometimes all three. It’s a satisfying meal any time of year.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1.5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper, plus extra to taste
- 1 tablespoon salt, plus extra to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large onions, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2–3 carrots, diced
- 3 potatoes, quartered
- 1 1/2 cups mushrooms, diced or left whole
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2–3 sprigs rosemary
- 2 cups beef broth
DIRECTIONS
- Season the beef with 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon salt, then dredge in flour to coat evenly.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef in two batches so the pan isn’t crowded. Brown the meat on all sides, then remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
- Add the garlic and onions to the pan and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen its flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) while the tomato paste is cooking.
- Return the browned beef to the pot, then add the carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, and additional salt and pepper to taste. Pour in the beef broth, bring the mixture briefly to a boil on the stovetop, then cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for about 2 hours, until the beef is tender and the flavors have melded.
- Remove the pot from the oven and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve the stew hot with mashed potatoes, crusty bread, or brown rice.
