Cast iron Dutch oven beef stew is a staple in my kitchen. My Mum’s recipe, it’s loaded with onion, potato, and carrot. The ultimate comfort food!
This post was first published on November 16, 2016 and was last updated November 8, 2020.
This is my Mum’s recipe for beef stew. It’s hearty and traditional, a stick-to-your-ribs-on-a-chilly-evening kind of meal. I’m thankful to have this recipe because, though my mother died over a year ago, it’s a dish that will always taste like home to me and remind me of her. It takes about two and a half hours total to cook, so be sure to leave yourself enough time.
I’ve made a few changes to my Mum’s version. She made her stew in a huge old-fashioned aluminum pot. I can still picture that pot. One of the black plastic handles was broken, so you couldn’t hold it without oven mitts, yet she refused to throw it away. My version is made in a cast iron enamelled Dutch oven. I love the even heat distribution of these heavy-duty sturdy pots.
My mother’s original recipe calls for water. I’ve substituted beef stock in my cast iron Dutch oven beef stew for extra flavour. I also increased the amount of dried summer savory because, well, I love the taste of it. Other than that, the recipe is hers, exactly as she made many moons ago. I hope you find as much comfort in it as I do.
Ingredients
Step-By-Step Instructions
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in an enamelled cast iron Dutch oven.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper.
Add the beef stewing cubes to the bowl of flour and stir everything together until all of the beef is well coated. There will be some dry flour in the bottom of the bowl that won’t adhere to the beef. This is totally fine.
Add the beef, along with any remaining flour in the bowl, to the pot of heated oil. Cook the beef cubes over medium-high heat until evenly browned. Stir the beef often to ensure browning of all the pieces. There should be a layer of browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot after the cooking time.
Pour the beef stock into the pot. Use a hard-edged rubber spatula or wooden spoon (I often switch between both when making beef stew) to gently scrape up as many of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you can. Called fond, these little toasty bits will add extra flavour to your cast iron Dutch oven beef stew.
Add the onions to the pot and stir. Bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beef, broth, and onions for 90 minutes. If the mixture is still boiling after you have reduced the heat, lower it further until it sits at a gentle yet bubbly simmer.
After the 90 minutes is up add the carrots and potatoes. Raise the heat to bring the stew back to a light boil, then reduce the heat once again and simmer it for another 45 minutes.
Add the dried summer savory. Stir to combine.
Place the cornstarch and cold water in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake the jar until the cornstarch and water are well mixed then pour the mixture into the pot. Stir well to combine. Raise the heat once more, and bring the stew to a light boil. Continue to cook the stew until the gravy thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Serve Dutch oven beef stew hot with buttered bread or biscuits.
Notes & Tips
Cast iron Dutch oven beef stew is a great make-ahead meal. It will keep well in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days, or stored in the freezer for up to two months.
Substitutions
For extra flavour, substitute a rich, robust red wine for ½ to 1 cup (125 ml to 250 ml) of the beef stock.
Parsnips and turnip are also great additions to cast iron Dutch oven beef stew. Just swap in even amounts.
If you can’t find dried summer savory, dried rosemary and/or thyme are great stand-ins.
Recipes To Serve With Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Whole Wheat Cheese Biscuits Best served fresh out of the oven and slathered with butter. With minimal ingredients and effort, enjoy them with any meal!
Sourdough Dinner Rolls Soft, pull-apart dinner rolls with tangy sourdough flavour.
Rosemary Biscuits With Parmesan & Honey Herbs and cheese are a classic pairing, while honey adds a hint of sweetness.
CHECK FOR STEP BY STEP PHOTOS ABOVE — Many of my recipes feature in-depth step-by-step images, plus useful tips to help you make the recipe perfectly the first time. If you make this recipe, please let me know how you made out in the comments below! I’d also grateful if you’d consider leaving a star rating while you’re here.
Recipe
Dutch Oven Beef Stew
This Dutch oven beef stew is a staple in my kitchen. My Mum's recipe, it's loaded with onion, potato, and carrot. The ultimate comfort food!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (38 g)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-½ pounds (680 g) beef stewing cubes
- 4 cups (1 litre) beef stock
- 4 cups (600 g) onions, peeled, sliced into ½-inch (1-¼ cm) thick wedges
- 4 cups (600 g) carrots, peeled, chopped into ½-inch (1-¼ cm) thick coins
- 4 cups (600 g) potatoes, skins on, chopped into 2-inch (5-cm) chunks
- 1 tablespoon dried summer savory
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 4 to 6-quart (litre) enamelled cast iron Dutch oven.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper.
- Add the beef stewing cubes to the bowl of flour and stir everything together until all of the beef is well coated. There will be some dry flour in the bottom of the bowl that won’t adhere to the beef. This is totally fine.
- Add the beef, along with any remaining flour in the bowl, to the pot of heated oil. Cook the beef cubes over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir the beef often to ensure browning of all the pieces. There should be a layer of browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot after the cooking time.
- Pour the beef stock into the pot. Use a hard-edged rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently scrape up as many of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you can. Called fond, these little toasty bits add extra flavour to the Dutch oven beef stew.
- Add the onions to the pot and stir. Bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beef, broth, and onions for 90 minutes. If the mixture is still boiling after you have reduced the heat, lower it further until it sits at a gentle yet bubbly simmer.
- After the 90 minutes is up add the carrots and potatoes. Raise the heat to bring the stew back to a light boil, then reduce the heat once again and simmer it for another 45 minutes.
- Add the dried summer savory. Stir to combine.
- Place the cornstarch and cold water in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake the jar until the cornstarch and water are well mixed then pour the mixture into the pot. Stir well to combine. Raise the heat once more, and bring the stew to a light boil. Continue to cook the stew until the gravy thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Serve hot with buttered bread or biscuits.
Notes
Dutch oven beef stew is a great make-ahead meal. It will keep well in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days, or stored in the freezer for up to two months.
SUBSTITUTIONS
For extra flavour, substitute a rich, robust red wine for ½ to 1 cup (125 ml to 250 ml) of the beef stock.
Parsnips and turnip are also great additions to Dutch oven beef stew. Just swap in even amounts.
If you can't find dried summer savory, dried rosemary and/or thyme are great stand-ins.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 212Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 701mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g
DISCLAIMER - NUTRITIONAL DATA IS PROVIDED BY A CALCULATOR AND IS A ROUGH ESTIMATION OF THE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION IN THIS RECIPE.
We made this tonight and it was delicious! So easy and very few ingredients. Ours was quite thick, so we did not have a need to add the cornstarch and water mixture. Will easily make this again! Thank you Kelly for sharing this great family recipe!