Beef Stew

Story

Momma made it every week with mash potatoes!

History

The beef stew your family knows descends from a lineage that crystallized in 14th-century France. Royal chef Taillevent recorded the first modern recipes for ragout—beef simmered in wine and broth with onions and herbs—in his cookbook Le Viandier, establishing the technique that would define beef stewing for centuries. As European empires expanded into the Americas from the 15th to 18th centuries, these slow-cooking methods traveled across the Atlantic, adapted by colonists and by enslaved West Africans drawing on their own stew-making traditions.

By the early 1700s, Savannah had become a center of the colonial beef trade. Cattle ranchers in the Savannah and Edisto valleys herded livestock to port, where beef was packed in barrels for shipment. The dish that arrived in colonial kitchens—simple beef, root vegetables, and broth simmered low and long—suited the Lowcountry climate and larder perfectly. Your family's version, made with chuck, carrots, onions, and celery in red wine, echoes both the French refinement of Taillevent's ragout and the practical adaptation of colonial cooks who made do with what the frontier offered. By the 19th century, beef stew had become so embedded in Southern family cooking that it transcended its elite origins, becoming comfort food for every table.

Ingredients

• Beef: 1.5 to 2 lbs beef chuck
• Olive Oil: 1 tbsp
• Butter: 1 tbsp
• Onions: 1 large yellow or white onion
• Carrots: 3-4 large carrots
• Celery: 2-3 stalks
• Garlic: 4 cloves
• Red Wine or Cooking Wine: 1 cup
• to_taste Salt & Black Pepper:
• Water

Instructions

1. Prep and Season: Generously season the beef cubes on all sides with salt and black pepper.
2. Sear the Beef: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer (work in batches if necessary so you don't overcrowd the pot). Sear until a deep brown crust forms on the sides, about 5–7 minutes. Remove the beef and set it aside on a plate.
3. Sauté the Vegetables: Lower the heat to medium. Melt the butter in the pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
4. Deglaze the Pot: Pour in the red wine. Use a wooden spoon to vigorously scrape up all the browned bits (the fond) from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which should take 3–4 minutes.
5. Simmer: Return the browned beef (and any resting juices) to the pot. Add enough water to just barely cover the meat and vegetables. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low.
6. Cook Low and Slow: Cover the pot tightly with a lid and let it simmer gently for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until the beef is completely fork-tender.
7. Thicken and Finish: Once the beef is tender, remove the lid. If the broth is too thin, turn the heat up to medium and let it bubble uncovered for 10–15 minutes to allow the liquid to reduce and thicken slightly. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper if needed before serving.