A proper American beef stew is not soup with beef in it. The beef is browned in tallow until a deep crust forms, building flavour compounds that dissolve into the braising liquid. The vegetables go in late enough to avoid becoming mush. The resulting stew should be thick, rich, and deeply satisfying — the fat from the tallow and the collagen from the chuck giving the broth a body that seed oil could never produce.
Tallow Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.2kg (2.6 lb) beef chuck, cut into 4cm cubes
- 3 tbsp beef tallow
- 4 large carrots, cut into 3cm pieces
- 4 celery stalks, cut into 3cm pieces
- 3 medium potatoes, cut into 3cm cubes
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 500ml (2 cups) beef stock
- 250ml (1 cup) red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- Sea salt and black pepper
Method
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat the tallow in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the beef in batches, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove.
- Add the onion and celery to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the red wine. Scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Return the beef. Bring to a simmer.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 60 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and cook for 40 more minutes until the vegetables are tender and the beef is falling apart.
- Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with crusty bread.
Is beef stew seed oil free?
Yes with tallow. Most restaurant beef stew uses vegetable oil to brown the beef.
What cut of beef?
Chuck is the correct cut — it has enough connective tissue to convert to gelatin during the braise, producing a thick, silky broth. Lean cuts produce dry, chewy stew.
Can I use a slow cooker?
Yes. Complete the browning and vegetable steps on the stovetop, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on Low for 8 hours.
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