Beef Stew with Potatoes, Carrots & Peas

Don’t you just love “one pot” meals? I’m talking about the kind of meal that has everything in it … the protein, the vegetable, the starch … all wrapped up in a tidy bowl.

When I think of these kinds of meals, I harken back to my childhood and my Mother’s beef stew … a simple stew with potatoes and peas. My Mother was an Irish "meat and potatoes" kind of cook. Her stew was one of the best things she made. She always served it with pumpernickel bread and I do the same … I just can’t eat that stew without that bread!.

I often think about those things I do only because I grew up watching my Mother, it was the way she did it, so I do it too.

Ask any woman and she will tell you the same thing. No matter what her relationship is with her Mother, she is a powerful influence. Sometimes the habits and lifestyle we adopt are a reflection on the way we were raised ... such as whether we are kind and considerate to others, the religion we follow, what newspapers or magazines we read, how we honor holiday and family traditions, etc. Other things are silly like going out of the way to buy a particular brand of sausage.

The only thing I do differently than my Mother when making stew is that I add carrots and mushrooms. Otherwise, it is the same recipe that she, and her Mother before her, made for years. In honor of my Irish heritage and my postings of our trip to Ireland, here is my recipe for a hearty and very tasty beef stew.

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Beef Stew with Potatoes, Carrots and Peas

(Serves 6.)

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 pounds chuck eye roast, excess fat and connective tissue removed, cubed into bite-size pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
• 2 cups low-salt beef broth
• 1 teaspoon gravy master (optional)
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into a large dice
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into a large dice
• 1 8-ounce package of mushrooms (button, portobella or a mix), cleaned and sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Beef Stew with Potatoes, Carrots and Peas

In a large, oven-proof pot heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the beef cubes and brown lightly on all sides. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and cook a few minutes to lightly soften the onions. 

Add the tomato paste and stir to blend. Sprinkle the flour over the beef mixture and cook until the flour has been absorbed.

Slowly pour in a cup of broth, stirring constantly. Add more broth as needed until the consistency of gravy. Add the gravy master if using. Bring to a boil, making sure gravy is still the proper texture.

Place in the preheated oven for 1½ hours. Add cut carrots and potatoes, stir and cook for 1/2 hour longer. Add sliced mushrooms and parsley and continue to cook for about 15 minutes until all vegetables have been cooked through. Remove from oven and stir in peas until heated through. Adjust seasoning and serve.