Beef Stew with Warm Levantine Spices
A classic beef stew, but with a few Middle Eastern flavors thrown into the mix – perfect hearty meal for any weeknight or weekend dinner.
Ingredients
Beef✮⋆˙
- 3 lbs beef chuck cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 30 grams all-purpose flour 1/4 cup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Stew✮⋆˙
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 1 medium red onion minced
- 6-8 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp all-spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp white pepper
- a few fresh sage leaves optional
- 2 large stalks celery sliced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- juice of 1 small lemon
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
Last 30 minutes✮⋆˙
- 3 large carrots peeled, and cut into chunks
- 1 lb baby red potatoes cut into roughly 1.5 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
First things first✮⋆˙
- Take your beef out about 30 minutes to an hour before starting your stew. Letting it come to room temp helps you get a nice, even sear and keeps the meat tender. Putting cold beef straight into a hot Dutch oven can lead to uneven cooking, so giving it a bit of time to warm up will make all the difference.
- This is also the time I use for "mise en place." I cut and prep all my ingredients, making the cooking process much smoother and more enjoyable. When it’s time to add an ingredient to your stew, everything is already minced, chopped, and prepared, so you can just focus on cooking.
- Remember to place your cut-up potatoes in ice water until you need them; otherwise, they’ll start to brown.
Season and sear beef✮⋆˙
- Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels—this helps them brown better. Season with salt and pepper, then give them a light dusting of flour. Shake off any extra, but make sure they have a nice, even coating.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches until each piece has a gorgeous golden crust. Don’t overcrowd the pot; it’s worth the patience. Once done, set them aside on a plate.
Begin on the base of your stew✮⋆˙
- Add the rest of the olive oil and butter to the pot. Toss in the onion and cook until softened (about 5 minutes) over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, white pepper, paprika, cumin, allspice, and cinnamon. If using, add the sage leaves here. Let everything get fragrant and toasty, about 1 minute.
- Next, add the celery and red bell pepper. Stir occasionally, letting the veggies soak up all those tasty brown bits at the bottom, about 3-5 minutes.
- Mix in the tomato paste, making sure everything’s well-coated. Let it cook for 3 minutes on medium heat to reduce a bit of the acidity. Then, pour in the beef broth, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and pomegranate molasses. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any leftover bits at the bottom of the pot.
- Add the seared beef back into the pot. Toss in the thyme, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves (you can tie them together with twine so they’re easy to fish out later). Bring everything to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and let it cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Last 30 minutes✮⋆˙
- After 2 hours, take the lid off, add the potatoes and carrots, and let it simmer uncovered for another 20-30 minutes until the stew thickens slightly and the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, and remember to remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and serve with warm, crusty bread, sourdough, or over rice or mashed potatoes.