What gives the beef stew its flavor?

For my recipe, I believe what gives the stew its flavor is the broth and the combination of the rest of the ingredients. The key to most stews is allowing it to simmer on low for a few hours so the flavors become one.

How do you add flavor to a bland stew?

I always use my favorite spices for most of my dishes and those include onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, pepper, and seasoned salt. Just add a little of this and a little of that until you reach the flavor you like.

Can I use water instead of broth?

You can but I wouldn’t recommend it because you’re going to lose flavor. If you don’t have broth or stock, purchase some beef bouillon and you can add to the water and it will still give you some flavor. Beef bouillon is a great pantry ingredient that you can use in the case where you don’t have broth or want to add an extra punch of flavor to a dish.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes. You can follow the instructions as it is laid out in the recipe and turn the stew to a slow cooker and allow it to cook on low for 4-6 hours. Be sure to not fill the slow cooker all the way to the top.

Homemade Beef Stew - Brown Sugar Food Blog

Description

Easy beef stew made with potatoes, carrots, and thick cubes of beef seasoning to perfection. Serve with cornbread. Great comfort food.

Ingredients

Scale

3 tbsp. Olive oil
2 pounds Angus Beef Cubes
3 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
12 ounces, weight Frozen Mirepoix Mix (green Bell Peppers, Onions, And Celery)
2 cans Sliced Carrots, 14.5 Oz. Cans, Drained
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 whole Yukon Yellow Potatoes, Diced
4 c. Beef Broth
2 tbsp. Cornstarch
2 tbsp. water
1–1/2 ounce, weight Package Of Beef Stew Seasoning
1 bay leaf
2 ounces, weight Jar Of Beef Gravy
Cooked Rice (if Desired)
Salt And Black Pepper, to taste

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Instructions

In a large dutch oven on medium-high heat, begin to heat 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Put the beef cubes in a large bowl and toss them with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Once the oil is heated, add the cubes of beef into the pot and allow the beef to brown evenly on all sides. Once the beef is browned on all sides, remove them from the pot and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel. Don’t rinse the pot.
Add the other 3 tablespoons of oil to the pot and add the mirepoix mix (I bought the mix at Kroger’s—it’s already diced in the freezer section) and the drained cans of carrots. Cook for 5 minutes. Finally, add the garlic cloves and cook until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked beef to the pot and mix in with the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle the mixture with 3 tablespoons of flour. Stir to coat the ingredients. Slowly add the beef broth and stir.
In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch and stir making a cornstarch slurry. Pour in the stew. Next, add the beef stew seasoning mix and bay leaf. Finally, add the potatoes. Allow simmering on low to medium heat for 1-2 hours.
At this point, the potatoes should be fork-tender along with the beef. Serve over cooked rice and with your favorite bread. I think cornbread is a good choice!

Notes

Serve with a side of cornbread!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Category: Soup/ Stew
Method: Cook
Cuisine: American