Description
A comforting French-inspired beef stew with tender chunks of beef, carrots, and potatoes simmered in a rich tomato and herb broth, finished with Dijon mustard for the perfect tangy uplift.
Ingredients
For the Stew Base:
- 1½ pounds cubed beef stew meat
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 (14.5-oz) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
- 1 (14-oz) can beef broth
For the Vegetables:
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
For the Seasonings:
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Dump your beef and flour in a big ziplock bag and shake it around until everything’s coated. This makes the beef brown better and thickens up the stew while it cooks.
Get your oil hot in a big pot – I use my Dutch oven. Throw in the floured beef and let it get golden brown all over, maybe 6-8 minutes. Salt and pepper it while it’s browning.
Pour in the tomatoes, beef broth, chopped carrots, chopped potatoes, and thyme. Crank the heat up until it starts bubbling hard.
Turn the heat down to medium-low, put the lid on, and let it bubble away for about an hour. The beef should fall apart when you poke it with a fork.
Right before you serve it, stir in that Dijon mustard. This is what makes it taste different from regular beef stew.
Notes
Chop your vegetables about the same size or some will be mushy while others are still hard. Don’t cram all the beef in at once when browning – it won’t brown, it’ll just steam. Taste it at the end and add more salt if needed.
If you want it richer, splash some red wine in with the broth. When the stew seems too watery, mash some of the potato chunks against the pot side to thicken it up.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French-Inspired