Beef Stew: 20 Cozy Pots for the Coldest Nights, From Grandma’s Classic to Slow Cooker

Beef stew is the dinner Americans keep coming back to the minute the weather turns cold, and the numbers prove it. On NYT Cooking, a plain Old-Fashioned Beef Stew has more than 31,000 ratings, more than almost any trendy recipe on the site. Allrecipes readers have rated its slow cooker version over 5,500 times. It is cheap, it feeds a crowd, and it tastes even better the next day. Below you will find the classic stovetop pot first, then easy twists for every kind of night: slow cooker, Dutch oven, pressure cooker, no-peek oven stew, dumplings, pot pie and more. Every slide has what you need and simple steps, so grab your biggest pot and pick a favorite..

Beef Stew Like Grandma Made: Why This Pot Never Goes Out of Style

There is a reason beef stew keeps winning, year after year. Cheap, tough chuck turns butter soft after a slow simmer, the carrots and potatoes soak up all that gravy, and the whole house smells like Sunday. One recipe on NYT Cooking has more than 31,000 ratings, and it is not a trendy one. It is plain old beef stew. Here is the master method first, then 19 easy ways to make it fit your night. Which camp are you in: A: thick gravy, B: brothy, or C: somewhere in between?..

You will need: 2 1/2 lb beef chuck roast in 1 1/2 inch cubes, 1/3 cup flour, salt and pepper, 3 tbsp oil, 1 large onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 4 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp dried thyme, 4 carrots, 1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 cup frozen peas, fresh parsley.

How to make it: 1. Pat the beef dry, season it and toss it in the flour. 2. Brown it in batches in hot oil in a heavy pot and set it aside. 3. Cook the onion and garlic 5 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste. 4. Add the broth, Worcestershire, bay leaves, thyme and the beef. 5. Cover and simmer gently 1 1/2 hours. 6. Add the carrots and potatoes and simmer 45 minutes more until tender. 7. Stir in the peas, season and top with parsley.

The Old-Fashioned Stovetop Beef Stew

This is the pot most of us grew up with: big chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes and celery in a rich brown gravy, simmered low on the stove all afternoon. The flour on the beef thickens the stew as it cooks, so there is no last minute fixing. Serve it in deep bowls with buttered bread. Is this the beef stew your mom or grandma made?

You will need: 2 lb beef chuck in cubes, 1/4 cup flour, 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 4 cups beef broth, 1 tsp thyme, 1 bay leaf, 4 carrots, 4 medium potatoes, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Toss the beef with flour, salt and pepper. 2. Brown it in the oil in batches. 3. Cook the onion, celery and garlic until soft. 4. Stir in the tomato paste, broth, thyme, bay leaf and the beef. 5. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. 6. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook 40 to 45 minutes until tender.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew: Dump It and Go

Slow cooker beef stew is the most rated version on Allrecipes, with more than 5,500 ratings, and it is easy to see why. You load the crock in the morning and come home to dinner. Browning the beef first adds flavor, but on busy days you can skip it. Tip: put the potatoes and carrots on the bottom, where they cook fastest. Do you brown first: A: always or B: never?

You will need: 2 lb beef stew meat or chuck in cubes, 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 4 potatoes in chunks, 4 carrots, 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 3 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp paprika, 2 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf.

How to make it: 1. Put the potatoes, carrots, onion and celery in the slow cooker. 2. Toss the beef with the flour, salt and pepper and add it on top. 3. Mix the broth, Worcestershire, paprika and garlic and pour it over. 4. Add the bay leaf. 5. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours or high 5 to 6 hours. 6. Stir, remove the bay leaf and serve.

Dutch Oven Beef Stew, Braised Low and Slow in the Oven

A heavy Dutch oven in a low oven gives you the most even, gentle heat, so the beef turns silky without scorching on the bottom. Brown everything on the stove, cover the pot and let the oven do the rest. Tip: 300 F is the sweet spot for tender beef that still holds its shape. Do you own a Dutch oven yet?

You will need: 2 1/2 lb chuck roast in cubes, 3 tbsp flour, 3 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 3 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, 4 carrots, 1 lb baby potatoes, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 300 F. 2. Season and flour the beef and brown it in batches in the Dutch oven. 3. Cook the onion and garlic, then stir in the tomato paste. 4. Add the broth, Worcestershire, herbs and beef and bring to a simmer. 5. Cover and bake 1 1/2 hours. 6. Add the carrots and potatoes and bake 1 hour more.

No-Peek Beef Stew: No Browning, No Stirring

This old church-supper favorite has a famous rule: once the lid goes on, you do not lift it. Raw beef, vegetables and a can of tomato soup bake slowly in a covered dish, and the steam does all the work. It is one of the easiest beef stew recipes ever written down. Would you be able to resist peeking for 4 hours?

You will need: 2 lb beef stew meat, 4 carrots, 4 potatoes, 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 1 can (10.75 oz) tomato soup, 1/2 cup water, 2 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca or 3 tbsp flour, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 275 F. 2. Put the beef and cut vegetables in a large baking dish or Dutch oven. 3. Whisk the soup, water, tapioca, sugar, salt and pepper and pour it over. 4. Cover tightly with a lid or foil. 5. Bake 4 to 5 hours without opening. 6. Stir and serve.

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew in About an Hour

Forgot to start dinner? An electric pressure cooker makes fork tender stew in about an hour from start to finish. Use the saute setting to brown the beef right in the pot, then seal it and let the pressure do the slow simmer for you. Tip: let it release naturally for 10 minutes so the beef stays tender.

You will need: 2 lb chuck in cubes, 2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 2 1/2 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp thyme, 3 carrots, 1 1/2 lb potatoes, 1 cup frozen peas.

How to make it: 1. Toss the beef in flour and brown it in the oil on saute. 2. Add the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. 3. Stir in the tomato paste and broth and scrape the bottom clean. 4. Add the Worcestershire, thyme, carrots and potatoes. 5. Cook on high pressure 35 minutes, then natural release 10 minutes. 6. Stir in the peas and let them warm through.

Irish-Style Stew With Stout

In Irish pubs, stew often gets a splash of dark stout, which adds a deep, slightly malty flavor. The alcohol cooks off during the long simmer, but you can swap in extra beef broth plus a teaspoon of molasses for a family-friendly pot. Lots of potatoes make it extra filling. Would you try it A: with stout or B: with the broth swap?

You will need: 2 lb chuck in cubes, 3 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp oil, 2 onions, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 cup stout or 1 cup beef broth plus 1 tsp molasses, 3 cups beef broth, 1 tsp thyme, 2 bay leaves, 4 carrots, 2 lb potatoes, parsley.

How to make it: 1. Flour and brown the beef in batches. 2. Cook the onions until golden and stir in the tomato paste. 3. Pour in the stout or swap and scrape up the browned bits. 4. Add the broth, thyme, bay leaves and beef. 5. Simmer covered 1 1/2 hours. 6. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook 45 minutes more.

Red Wine Stew, a Simple Bourguignon

This is the French cousin of the American classic, made weeknight easy. Red wine, mushrooms and a little bacon give it a glossy, deep sauce. The alcohol simmers off, and you can use extra broth with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar instead. Serve it over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Fancy enough for company, easy enough for Tuesday.

You will need: 2 lb chuck in cubes, 4 slices bacon, 2 tbsp flour, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 cups dry red wine or 2 cups broth plus 1 tbsp balsamic, 2 cups beef broth, 2 sprigs thyme, 3 carrots, 8 oz mushrooms, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Cook the bacon, then brown the floured beef in the fat. 2. Cook the onion and garlic and stir in the tomato paste. 3. Add the wine or swap and simmer 2 minutes. 4. Add the broth, thyme, bacon and beef. 5. Cover and simmer 2 hours. 6. Add the carrots and mushrooms for the last 40 minutes.

Beef Stew With Fluffy Drop Dumplings

Grandma’s trick for stretching a pot: drop spoonfuls of soft biscuit dough right on top and let them steam. They puff up light and fluffy on top and soak up gravy underneath. Tip: keep the lid on for the full 15 minutes, because peeking lets the steam out. Who gets the last dumpling at your house?

You will need: 1 pot of hot stew. Dumplings: 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 3/4 cup milk, 3 tbsp melted butter.

How to make it: 1. Bring the stew to a gentle simmer. 2. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and parsley. 3. Stir in the milk and butter until just combined. 4. Drop heaping spoonfuls on top of the stew. 5. Cover and simmer 15 minutes without lifting the lid. 6. Check that the dumplings are cooked through and serve.

Stew Pot Pie With a Golden Crust

Leftover stew becomes a brand new dinner when you bake it under a crust. Thicken the stew a little, pour it into a skillet or pie dish and top it with puff pastry or canned biscuits. Twenty five minutes later you have a bubbling, golden pot pie. Which top do you like better: A: puff pastry or B: biscuits?

You will need: 4 cups thick leftover stew, 1 sheet puff pastry or 1 can (16 oz) refrigerated biscuits, 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water, 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water if the stew is thin.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F. 2. Warm the stew and thicken it with the cornstarch mix if needed. 3. Pour it into a 10 inch cast iron skillet or deep pie dish. 4. Cover with the pastry or biscuits. 5. Brush with the egg wash and cut a few vents. 6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Mushroom and Pearl Onion Stew for Company

Mushrooms and little pearl onions make a stew feel like a special occasion dinner. Brown the mushrooms well so they taste meaty, and use frozen pearl onions so there is no peeling. The gravy turns dark, glossy and rich. It is perfect for a cozy Sunday or a holiday weekend crowd. Are you A: team mushroom or B: pick them out?

You will need: 2 lb chuck in cubes, 3 tbsp flour, 3 tbsp oil, 1 lb cremini mushrooms halved, 1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 4 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp thyme, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Flour and brown the beef in batches and set it aside. 2. Brown the mushrooms in the same pot. 3. Add the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute. 4. Add the broth, Worcestershire, thyme and beef. 5. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. 6. Add the pearl onions and simmer 30 minutes more.

Hearty Beef and Barley Stew

Pearl barley turns stew into a thick, stick to your ribs meal that keeps you full for hours. The barley drinks up the broth and gets pleasantly chewy. Tip: it keeps thickening as it sits, so add a splash of broth when you reheat it. It is a smart way to make a pound of beef feed a whole family.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb chuck in small cubes, 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 3 carrots, 2 celery ribs, 2 cloves garlic, 3/4 cup pearl barley rinsed, 8 cups beef broth, 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 tsp thyme, 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef in the oil. 2. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 3. Stir in the barley, broth, tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf. 4. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. 5. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring now and then. 6. Season and serve.

The Sheet Pan Shortcut for Deeper Flavor

Here is a clever trick for a richer pot with less splatter: roast the beef and vegetables on a sheet pan at high heat instead of browning them in batches. They caramelize all at once, then go into the pot with the broth. You get deep, roasted flavor with almost no stovetop mess. Have you ever tried roasting before you stew?

You will need: 2 lb chuck in cubes, 1 lb baby potatoes, 4 carrots in chunks, 1 onion in wedges, 8 oz mushrooms, 3 tbsp oil, salt and pepper, 4 cups beef broth, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tsp thyme.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 450 F. 2. Toss the beef and vegetables with oil, salt and pepper and spread them on a large sheet pan. 3. Roast 25 minutes, turning once. 4. Whisk the broth, tomato paste, flour and thyme in a pot. 5. Add everything from the pan and scrape in the browned bits. 6. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours until the beef is tender.

The Secret to Rich Beef Stew: Brown the Beef Right

The deep flavor in a great stew comes from browning. Pat the beef very dry, do not crowd the pot, and leave the cubes alone until they release easily with a dark crust. Then pour in a little broth and scrape up every brown bit on the bottom. That is where the flavor lives. Do you ever rush this step?

You will need: 2 lb chuck in cubes, paper towels, 2 to 3 tbsp oil with a high smoke point, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup beef broth for deglazing, a heavy pot.

How to make it: 1. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. 2. Season it well with salt and pepper. 3. Heat the oil until it shimmers. 4. Add only enough beef to cover the bottom in one layer. 5. Sear 3 to 4 minutes per side without moving it. 6. Remove the batch, repeat, then deglaze the pot with broth.

How to Thicken Beef Stew That Turned Out Too Thin

How to thicken beef stew is one of the most searched questions every winter. Good news: there are three easy fixes. Stir in a cornstarch slurry, mash a few of the cooked potatoes right into the pot, or simmer it uncovered for 20 minutes. Never dump dry flour straight in, because it clumps. Which fix will you try first?

You will need: For a slurry: 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp cold water. Or 2 tbsp soft butter mashed with 2 tbsp flour. Or a potato masher for a few of the cooked potatoes.

How to make it: 1. Bring the stew to a simmer. 2. Whisk the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. 3. Stir the slurry into the stew. 4. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until glossy and thick. 5. For a flour fix, whisk in small bits of the butter and flour paste. 6. Or mash a few potatoes against the side of the pot and stir.

Best Beef for Beef Stew: Buy a Chuck Roast

Those packs labeled stew meat can be a mix of cuts that cook at different speeds, so some pieces stay tough. Buy a whole chuck roast instead and cut it yourself. Chuck has marbling and connective tissue that melt into tender, juicy bites after a long simmer. Love that fall apart texture? Try our Sunday pot roast recipes too.

You will need: 1 boneless chuck roast (2 1/2 to 3 lb), a sharp knife, a cutting board, paper towels, salt.

How to make it: 1. Pat the roast dry. 2. Trim off any thick outer fat. 3. Cut it into 1 1/2 inch slabs. 4. Cut the slabs into 1 1/2 inch cubes. 5. Keep the cubes about the same size so they cook evenly. 6. Salt them and let them sit 20 minutes before browning.

Freezer Packs for Busy Weeks

Beef stew is one of the best freezer meals there is. Freeze cooled stew flat in zip-top bags for quick dinners, or make raw freezer kits with the floured beef and chopped vegetables ready for the slow cooker. Tip: potatoes can turn grainy when frozen, so add fresh ones when you reheat. How many bags would you stock?

You will need: Cooled cooked stew without potatoes, or raw kits: 2 lb floured chuck cubes, 3 carrots, 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, 1 tsp thyme. Gallon zip-top freezer bags, a marker.

How to make it: 1. Cool cooked stew in the fridge first. 2. Ladle it into bags, press out the air and seal. 3. Label with the name and date. 4. Freeze flat, then stand the bags up like books. 5. Use within about 3 months for the best taste. 6. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot.

Leftovers Over Mashed Potatoes

Leftovers get a whole new life spooned over a pile of creamy mashed potatoes. If your stew has potatoes already, try it over buttered egg noodles or rice instead. Either way, the gravy soaks in and every bite is pure comfort. It might be the best part of making a big pot. Mashed potatoes, noodles or rice?

You will need: 2 to 3 cups leftover stew, 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup warm milk, salt and pepper, chives.

How to make it: 1. Peel and cut the potatoes and boil them in salted water 15 minutes until tender. 2. Drain well. 3. Mash with the butter and warm milk. 4. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Reheat the stew gently until steaming. 6. Spoon it over the potatoes and top with chives.

What to Serve With Beef Stew: Crusty Bread

A loaf of crusty bread is the classic partner for a bowl of stew, made for wiping the bowl clean. Warm a store-bought loaf in the oven for a few minutes, or turn it into easy garlic bread. Tip: a sourdough or French loaf holds up to dunking better than soft sandwich bread. Are you a dunker or a dipper?

You will need: 1 crusty sourdough or French loaf, 4 tbsp soft butter, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Mix the butter, garlic, parsley and salt. 3. Slice the loaf almost all the way through. 4. Spread the butter between the slices. 5. Wrap it in foil and bake 12 minutes. 6. Open the foil and bake 5 minutes more for a crisp crust.

More Sides for Beef Stew: Warm Biscuits

Fluffy buttermilk biscuits are the Southern answer to what goes with beef stew. Split one open and let the gravy soak in. Cornbread and a simple green salad are great sides too. Which side would win at your table: A: biscuits, B: cornbread or C: crusty bread? Tell us your pick, and tell us which beef stew you are making first.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 cup cold butter in cubes, 3/4 cup cold buttermilk.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F. 2. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 3. Cut in the cold butter until it looks like coarse crumbs. 4. Stir in the buttermilk just until a dough forms. 5. Pat it 1 inch thick and cut out biscuits. 6. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until golden.