Serves 14
550 min
Beef Fennel Stew
Recipe GLPR9aa1438928679d
A rich, slow-braised beef stew featuring tender beef chuck, aromatic fennel, caramelized onions, and roasted garlic, all simmered low and slow in a flavorful beer broth. This comforting American classic develops deep, savory flavors over 8 hours of gentle oven cooking, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth beef and mellow, sweet vegetables. Finished with fresh fennel fronds for brightness and herbal complexity.
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Ingredients
2 heads garlic, halved
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 pounds beef chuck roast
2 large onions, chopped
2 fennel bulbs, chopped
8 (12-ounce) bottles strong, hoppy beer
Fresh fennel fronds, for garnish
Directions
Preheat your oven to 300°F. Cut the 2 heads of garlic in half horizontally. Brush the cut surfaces and exposed cloves lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Wrap each garlic head loosely in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes until the garlic is completely soft and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze or scoop the roasted cloves from their skins and set aside; you should have approximately 1 cup of roasted garlic puree.
Increase the oven temperature to 200°F. While the garlic finishes roasting, trim any excess fat from the beef chuck roast. Cut the beef into 2- to 3-inch chunks, discarding large pieces of fat. Chop the 2 large onions into rough 1-inch pieces. Chop the 2 fennel bulbs into 1-inch pieces, reserving the green fronds separately for garnish.
Select a large, heavy-bottomed braising pan or Dutch oven (at least 8-quart capacity). Add the chopped beef, onions, fennel bulb pieces, and the roasted garlic to the pan. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Pour all 8 (12-ounce) bottles of the strong, hoppy beer over the beef and vegetables until everything is just submerged. If needed, add a small amount of water to ensure the meat and vegetables are covered by liquid.
Cover the braising pan tightly with two layers of aluminum foil, pressing it firmly against the rim to seal in the steam. Then place the lid on top if your pan has one. Place the pan in the preheated 200°F oven.
Braise undisturbed for 8 hours. The stew is ready when the beef is extremely tender and breaks apart easily with a fork, and the vegetables have softened into the broth, creating a rich, savory sauce. Do not stir during cooking.
Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Ladle the stew into serving bowls, distributing beef and vegetables evenly. Skim off any excess fat from the surface if desired. Garnish each portion generously with the reserved fresh fennel fronds and serve immediately while hot.
