Winter Beef & Bacon Stew

A good friend passed this recipe along to me, and I just had to share it with you. It’s one of those dishes that comes together with almost no effort, sits and simmers away, and somehow warms you right down to your bones. My photos don’t quite capture how incredible it really is, but trust me — the flavours and aromas more than make up for that. Think slow-simmered goodness with homemade bone broth, a generous splash of red wine, and plenty of fresh herbs and spices. Adapted from The Nourished Kitchen.

Serves: 6-8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: Minimum 2.5 Hours

Ingredients

• ¼ cup flour

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 5-6 strips of bacon (coarsely chopped)

• 3 pounds stewing beef or chuck roast (if using chuck trim and cube into bite-sized pieces)

• 2 cups red wine

• 2 cups beef bone broth

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

• 4 medium carrots (chopped into bite-sized pieces)

• 4-5 Yukon gold potatoes cubed

• 1 ½ cups pearl onions

• 1 cup whole mushrooms (optional)

• 1 tablespoon gelatin

• 1 cup water

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 300°F.

• In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Toss the beef in the mixture until everything’s nicely coated, then set it aside.

• Warm the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and drop in the bacon. Let it sizzle away until it’s crisp. Add the seasoned beef right into the pot with the bacon and cook for about 6 minutes, just until it’s browned.

• Pour in the red wine, bone broth, and tomato paste. Give the bottom of the pot a good scrape so all those crispy brown bits lift up into the sauce. Add the bay leaves and thyme, then move the pot to the oven and let it cook, uncovered, for about 90 minutes.

• After that first long simmer, give everything a stir and add the carrots, potatoes, onions and mushrooms. Sometimes I swap in other root vegetables like yam or squash. Pop it back in for another 30–45 minutes, or until the veggies are perfectly tender.

• If you like thicker stew prep gelatin in a small bowl, mix with a splash of water and let it bloom for 5 minutes. Or skip it all together for a more au jus version.

• Take the stew out of the oven and return it to the stovetop. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then stir in the gelatin if using. Turn the heat up slightly and let it simmer another 3 minutes until the sauce thickens just a touch.

• Remove the bay leaves, ladle it up while it’s piping hot, and enjoy.