Hearty Beef Stew with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Red Wine Recipe
This hearty Beef Stew recipe combines tender chunks of beef, crispy bacon, fresh mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes simmered in a rich red wine and beef broth sauce, slow-baked to perfection. Infused with herbs and tomato paste, this comforting classic is perfect for a satisfying meal any time of year.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Stew
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Bacon
- 6 oz bacon, chopped into 1/4” strips
- 2 lbs beef stew meat or beef chuck cut into 1” pieces
Seasonings and Coating
- 2 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Liquids
- 2 cups good dry red wine
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth or beef stock
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2” thick pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb small potatoes (new potatoes or fingerlings), halved or quartered
Other
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Sauté Bacon: In a large oven-proof pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until golden brown and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
- Brown Beef: Season the beef with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Coat the beef evenly with flour. In batches, add the beef to the hot bacon fat and olive oil as needed, browning each side over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to the bowl with bacon.
- Deglaze and Simmer Mushrooms: Pour 2 cups of red wine into the pot and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the sliced mushrooms and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onions, and garlic and sauté for 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another minute. Transfer these vegetables to the pot with the mushrooms and wine.
- Combine and Bake: Add 4 cups beef broth, bay leaves, dried thyme, remaining salt and pepper to the pot. Return the browned beef and bacon to the pot. Add the potatoes and stir gently to combine, ensuring that potatoes are submerged. Cover with a lid and bake at 325˚F for 1 hour and 45 minutes until beef is very tender.
Notes
- To reduce fat in the stew, tilt the pot and skim off excess fat after baking.
- You can substitute beef chuck for stew meat for more texture.
- Use dry red wine for richer flavor; substitute with more beef broth if preferred.
- Adjust seasoning after cooking if needed.
- For thicker stew broth, you can remove lid near end of baking to reduce liquid.
Keywords: beef stew, red wine stew, classic beef stew, hearty stew, slow baked stew, comfort food