Beef

Hearty Red Wine Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes

Name: Hearty Red Wine Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 160 min
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2.4 lb chuck beef, cut into 1.5-inch (3.5 cm) cubes; 3 cup low-sodium beef broth; 1 large onion, halved and cut into 0.4-inch (1 cm) slices; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 3 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 14 oz baby potatoes, halved; 0.3333333333333333 cup flour; 3 tbsp olive oil, divided; 2 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, or Merlot; 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp each salt and pepper; 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried; 4 sprigs fresh thyme; 0 Additional salt and pepper, to taste; 0 Mashed potato; 0 Fresh parsley, chopped

The chuck roast simmers on the stove until the meat turns soft and the broth cooks down into a light gravy for this red wine Beef Stew.

By Ally
Updated August 27, 2026 · Why trust this?

No reviews yet

🗓 Cooking this…

A bowl of rich beef stew with tender chunks of meat and vegetables over creamy mashed potatoes — Photograph by the CookingMyRecipes kitchen

Total

165 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

160 min

Serves

Level

Advanced

This red wine beef stew uses a long braise to break down 1.5-inch (3.5 cm) cubes of chuck beef. Simmering the pot with a lid on for 1 hour 45 minutes ensures the meat and baby potatoes become completely soft. Taking the cover off afterward reduces the savory liquid into a light gravy.

Choosing the beef

Begin with 2.4 lb (1.2 kg) chuck beef, preparing it in 1.5-inch (3.5 cm) cubes. Chuck delivers optimal flavor, fat marbling, and texture for long braising. Brisket, gravy beef, and rib meat without the bone are also suitable cuts for this stew. You must slice the beef into large pieces so it does not overcook during the slow braise. Cutting the roast into small fragments causes the meat to finish cooking too early.

Searing in batches

Do not cram all the beef into the pot at once. A crowded pot causes the meat to steam rather than brown. You must sear the meat aggressively on all sides. This builds a dark crust on the meat and leaves browned bits on the bottom of the pot. These browned bits darken the sauce color and make the liquid taste savory.

You cook 1 large onion, halved and cut into 0.4-inch (1 cm) slices, along with minced garlic directly in the residual beef fat. The vegetables absorb the beef drippings as they soften. Next, you stir in 3 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, and 2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.

The braising liquid

You need 2 cups (500 ml) dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, or Merlot. Full-bodied, affordable red wines like Shiraz also work well. Light wines like Pinot Noir are not suitable for this dish. The alcohol evaporates entirely during cooking. If you want an alcohol-free stew, replace the wine with an equal amount of extra beef broth and two teaspoons of brown sugar.

You stir 1/3 cup (50 g) flour into the vegetables to act as a thickening agent. You then pour in 3 cups (750 ml) low-sodium beef broth along with the wine. The tomato paste adds a touch of sourness to balance the heavy meat. Worcestershire sauce makes the stew taste more savory.

Simmering the stew

You add the seared beef, 14 oz (400 g) baby potatoes, halved, and the herbs back to the pot. The stew requires a long simmer on the stove. The beef becomes tender when you simmer the pot covered for the first hour and forty-five minutes. You remove the lid for the final thirty minutes to reduce the liquid into a thick gravy.

Alternative heating methods work just as well for this dish. For baking, place the covered pot in the oven at 300F (150C) for two and a half hours, then remove the lid for the final thirty to forty-five minutes. When utilizing a slow cooker, decrease the broth by one cup, run the appliance on low for eight hours, and let the meal rest for fifteen minutes before serving. To cook the dish under pressure, omit one cup of the broth and set the machine to high for forty minutes.

Sides and bases

The thick gravy requires a starchy base or side to soak it up.

Serve over creamy mashed potato garnished with a sprig of fresh thyme or a sprinkle of parsley.
Serve the meal alongside heated rustic loaves or a classic soda bread to absorb the gravy.
Spoon the stew over other bases, including cauliflower mash, rice, or polenta.
Serve the dish over mashed sweet potatoes, pumpkins, parsnips, or carrots.

Storage

The flavor of the stew improves when eaten on the second day. You can keep extra portions in the refrigerator or freeze them for later. If you choose to freeze the meal, allow it to thaw completely before warming it on the stove or in the microwave.

The Recipe serves 6 · 165 min

Hearty Red Wine Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes

Serves 6

Ingredients

2.4 lb chuck beef, cut into 1.5-inch (3.5 cm) cubes
3 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 large onion, halved and cut into 0.4-inch (1 cm) slices
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
2 tbsp tomato paste
14 oz baby potatoes, halved
0.33 cup flour
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, or Merlot
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp each salt and pepper
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Additional salt and pepper, to taste

For serving

Mashed potato
Fresh parsley, chopped

We may earn a small commission from grocery & equipment links, at no cost to you. Disclosure.

Method

Sprinkle the beef cubes evenly with the salt and pepper.

Put a large casserole or heavy pot on the stove and turn the burner to high. Pour in 1.5 tablespoons of the olive oil. Let the oil warm up until it just starts to smoke.

Add about one-third of the beef to the hot oil to brown. Let the chunks sear aggressively on all sides for about 4 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and pull the browned meat out. Timer 4 min

Put the pot back on the heat. Repeat this browning step with the rest of the beef, adding more oil to the pot as necessary for each round.

Turn down the heat on the pot to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the sliced onion and minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until the aromatics soften a bit and turn golden on the edges. Timer 2 min

Drop the cut carrots and celery into the pot. Stir the vegetables for 1 minute to help distribute the flavors. Timer 1 min

Sprinkle the flour into the pot. Stir the mixture so the flour coats the vegetables.

Pour in the beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir these liquids continuously to incorporate the tomato paste and dissolve the flour.

Put the cooked beef and any juices back into the pot. Add the thyme, bay leaves, and baby potatoes. Stir the stew well. Pour in water until the liquid sits just below the top of the ingredients.

Bring the liquid to a simmer over low heat. Adjust the stove setting to low or medium-low heat so the pot keeps simmering gently.

Cover the pot and cook for 1.5 hours to 1 hour 45 minutes. Check the meat; the chunks should feel quite soft at this stage. Timer 90 min

Remove the lid from the pot. Let the stew simmer for a further 30 minutes. Leaving the lid off lets the sauce cook down slightly until it resembles a light gravy, and the meat will become exceptionally tender. Timer 30 min

Taste the stew and season it with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm portions over mashed potato, finished with fresh thyme and parsley.

Nutritionper serving

605

Calories

Protein

Carbs

Fat

Nutrition is estimated and provided for convenience. Source: Edamam.

Cook's notes

Substitutions

To make the dish alcohol-free, replace the 2 cups (500 ml) dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, or Merlot, with an equal amount of extra beef broth and two teaspoons of brown sugar.

While the recipe calls for chuck, you can easily swap it for 2.4 lb (1.2 kg) of brisket, gravy beef, or beef rib without the bone.

Storage

Since the flavor of the stew improves when eaten the following day, it serves as an ideal meal to cook in advance, and any leftovers can be conveniently kept in the freezer.

Serving

Portion the hot meal over creamy mashed potato, or offer slices of crusty bread on the side for dipping. Other suitable bases include cauliflower mash, cooked rice, and polenta.

Common mistakes

Avoid overcrowding the pot when searing the 2.4 lb (1.2 kg) chuck beef, cut into 1.5-inch (3.5 cm) cubes, because cramming the meat together causes it to steam rather than brown.

Chopping the beef into pieces smaller than the specified 1.5-inch (3.5 cm) cubes guarantees the meat will overcook during the slow braise.

Techniques

If you want to use a slow cooker, cut the 3 cups (750 ml) low-sodium beef broth down by one cup. Run the machine on low for eight hours, and let the stew rest for fifteen minutes before you serve it.

Always pat raw meat completely dry with paper towels before placing it in hot oil to guarantee a deeply browned crust.

Let meat sit undisturbed in the hot pan for several minutes before turning so it can sear properly and release naturally from the cooking surface.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Store: Since the flavor of the stew improves when eaten the following day, it serves as an ideal meal to cook in advance, and any leftovers can be conveniently kept in the freezer.

Frequently asked

Can I bake this stew in the oven instead of cooking it on the stove?

You can absolutely bake this dish. Put the covered pot in the oven at 300F (150C) for two and a half hours, and then leave the lid off for the final thirty to forty-five minutes so the gravy cooks down and thickens.

How can I cook this stew using a high-pressure multi-cooker?

When preparing this dish under high pressure, subtract one cup from the 3 cups (750 ml) of low-sodium beef broth. Cook the stew on high for forty minutes.

Can I use Pinot Noir for the braising liquid?

Light wines like Pinot Noir are not suitable for this dish. You should use a full-bodied option for your 2 cups (500 ml) dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, or Merlot.

Why did my beef steam instead of developing a dark crust?

Adding too much meat to the pot at once drops the temperature and causes steaming. Make sure to sear the 2.4 lb (1.2 kg) chuck beef, cut into 1.5-inch (3.5 cm) cubes, in batches to prevent overcrowding.

What are the best side dishes to soak up the gravy?

The gravy needs a base to soak it up, so try spooning the stew over creamy mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, a bed of rice, or polenta. Providing slices of a rustic crusty loaf or a fresh piece of soda bread on the side gives you a perfect way to dip into the liquid.

How should I handle the leftovers?

You can keep any remaining portions in the refrigerator or freezer, as the flavor of the dish improves when eaten the following day. Make sure to thaw frozen leftovers completely before you reheat them on the stove or in the microwave.

Why is it important to pat meat dry before cooking?

Always pat raw meat completely dry with paper towels before placing it in hot oil to guarantee a deeply browned crust. Any surface moisture will evaporate and steam the meat instead of searing it.

When should I flip the meat while browning it?

Let meat sit undisturbed in the hot pan for several minutes before turning it. This allows the meat to sear properly and release naturally from the cooking surface without sticking.

Add a private note

Private to this device - jot your tweaks, swaps and timings. (Syncs to your account later.)