I really love you beef stew.

This is done in steps over some time. It is one of the more intensive recipes, but worth it. Marinating the beef overnight makes the meat deliciously tender.

Originally posted 01/22/08

This is a long cooking, somewhat intensive recipe.
It is best for a day that you have some cleaning to do, or are just going to be around the house.

Ingredients:
3 lb. beef chuck/shoulder
48 oz beef stock
1/3 bottle red wine (approx.)
1 lb carrots
small bunch celery
1/2 bag pearl onions
3/4 bag frozen peas
8 oz diced tomatoes
about 5 slices bacon
3 medium sized white boiling potatoes

McCormick's Beef Stew Seasoning
sweet smoked paprika
salt & pepper
bay leaves
rosemary
thyme
flour
EVOO

The night before:
Trim and cube the beef (I find the pieces are always too big).
Marinade in red wine (1/2 c.?) with salt, pepper and a few bay leaves. (I meant to throw some garlic in this, but forgot. You can try it.)
Shake it up whenever you go past the refrigerator.

Remove the meat from the marinade, saving the marinade for later (remove bay leaves).
Heat some EVOO in your dutch oven so it is HOT.
Salt and pepper the meat.
Brown the meat on all sides, adding more EVOO as needed. This is best done in small batches, removing the beef to a pan or bowl.
Chop up the bacon and fry this up. (I did mine in a separate pan because I didn't want all that grease in my stew, but you could do it in the dutch oven.)
When all things are fried, lower the heat to low and add about 1/3 c. beef stock and marinade to the pan. Scrape the brown bits from the pan.
Add the braised meat, remainder of the stock, onions, (new) bay leaves, paprika, rosemary and thyme (I added roughly 1tsp of each seasoning), 1/3 pkt. of beef stew seasoning, pepper, salt, and diced tomatoes.

Toss this in the oven at 275 degrees (uncovered) for 2.5-3 hours (or longer, if you like), stirring occasionally. Cover after about 1.5 hours.

Add peeled and sliced carrots and celery. Cook for another hour.

When you have 30 minutes left in cooking time, add peeled and diced potatoes and peas.

If you want more of a stew (gravy-like) over a soup (clear broth), do the following about 30 minutes before eating:
(It's worth it to make this effort!)
Remove about 3 c. of broth.
Mix 7 TBS flour with 2/3c. warm water. Whisk until smooth. (Makes a simple rue.)
Pour the broth into a sauce pan. Whisk in rue, until well blended. (chances are this will be fairly thick)
Return gravy to the dutch oven and stir in.

Enjoy. Awesome with crusty French bread.