Serves 8
200 min
Beef and Merlot Stew
Recipe GLPRcb6359c03f3032
A rich, wine-braised beef stew with tender chunks of beef chuck cooked low and slow in a Merlot reduction, enriched with pearl onions, mushrooms, and bacon. Perfect for a comforting dinner, this dish develops deep, complex flavors as the wine and beef broth meld with caramelized vegetables. Serve over egg noodles, polenta, or crusty bread.
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Ingredients
3½ pounds Beef chuck roast or boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and black pepper
2 strips Bacon, diced
3½ tablespoons Olive oil
1 Large onion, diced
5 Garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tablespoon Tomato paste
½ bottle Merlot wine, dry red
1 Bay leaf
Beef broth
10 ounces Pearl onions, fresh, peeled
16 ounces Mushrooms (white or brown), halved if large
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
½ cup Water
Green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
Directions
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously on all sides with salt and black pepper.
In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or braising pot, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
Increase heat to medium-high and add olive oil to the bacon fat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the seasoned beef cubes until deeply browned on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
Pour off excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Add the diced onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly caramelized, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to coat the vegetables and slightly caramelize the paste.
Pour in the Merlot wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift up any browned bits. Allow the wine to simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes to reduce slightly and burn off some alcohol.
Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Add the bay leaf and pour in enough beef broth to just cover the beef. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for about 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender when pierced with a fork.
While the beef cooks, prepare the pearl onions by peeling away the papery skin and trimming the root ends. Leave them whole.
After 2 hours, add the pearl onions and mushrooms to the stew. Stir well to combine. Continue simmering, uncovered, for another 30 to 40 minutes until the pearl onions are tender and the mushrooms have released their liquid and cooked through.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to create a smooth slurry with no lumps.
Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering stew while stirring gently to distribute it evenly. Simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Serve the beef and Merlot stew hot, ladled into bowls and garnished with thinly sliced green onions.
