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Stress cooking. Stress baking. Terms I keep seeing on social media! It turns out a global pandemic and mandatory self isolation is driving many to turn to the wonderful world of culinary arts. It’s no surprise to me! There’s so much in the world right now that we can’t control… I don’t even need to delve into the list, I’m sure you’ve all been mulling this over plenty by now! Let’s forget that for a second. Something we can control? Foooooood. We can pick a delicious recipe, follow the instructions, and voila – we are rewarded with the tasty fruit of our labours. It’s a good deal. That’s why I’ve loved cooking for so long, and it’s at least a small silver lining in the midst of all of the uncertainty, that so many people are discovering the joys of cooking and baking their own food. I’m here to help!

Looking for a foolproof, staple recipe that you can enjoy now, make ahead and eat throughout the week, or freeze for a later date? Something that is universally appealing, hearty, flavourful, comforting, allergy friendly (gluten and dairy free), etc.? May I present Beef Stew – a recipe you can turn to anytime, that will yield a rich and flavourful, comforting, crowd pleasing meal, each and every time. A little certainty for you in all of the uncertainty! I’ve included directions for the Instant Pot, Stovetop/oven, and Slow Cooker so you can make it whichever way suits you best. My go to is the Instant Pot – it never ceases to amaze me that I can whip up fall apart beef stew in under an hour, such a marvel! When I made this last, I had the brilliant idea to double the recipe so I could freeze half – you may know if you follow me on Instagram, that I’m currently on operation fill the freezer before baby comes (I’m less than 4 weeks from my due date!). Well, let’s just say I saved you some trouble and discovered that this is a massive recipe and you cannot in fact fit a DOUBLE batch in a 6qt Instant Pot…. dope. It was a little messy, but I was able to transfer half to a dutch oven to cook via the oven method, while my other batch cooked quickly for supper in the Instant Pot. They both turned out fantastic, disaster averted!

Perhaps the best part of beef stew is what you dip in it. Nothing beats a fresh rustic sourdough loaf in my books. Sourdough is such a hero in our current situation. We’ve all seen the empty yeast shelves at every grocery store, taunting us when all we want is some homemade bread. Alas, we need not despair – it takes about a week, but I promise you, anyone can get their own sourdough starter going at home and make their own gorgeous sourdough loaves any old time they like! Here’s a great method to get you going on your starter. Once its nice and bubbly and active (about a week), this is my favourite easy rustic sourdough loaf recipe. I go into sourdough a bit more in my Sourdough Pizza and Naan recipes also, if you’re interested! Of course, serve this stew with whatever bread, biscuit, or carb-y delight you prefer; this stew makes for some goooooood dipping.

What makes this stew stand out from all the standard stew recipes? A few things. We’ve swap flour for cornstarch (arrowroot powder would also work!) to make it gluten free. You won’t be able to tell the difference! We carefully brown the beef in batches to give it a nice crispy, deeply flavoured exterior before we braise it until it’s fall apart tender. We add my secret flavour boosting ingredients to give the ‘gravy’ a really nice depth of flavour: coconut aminos, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. And one more secret ingredient – star anise (also a key ingredient in making your own killer chai tea)! I got this idea from Life Made Sweeter’s stew recipe and I must agree, it adds the most interesting hint of spice and flavour; really taking the stew to another level of deliciousness! If you can’t find it in the spice isle at your local grocery store, you can purchase it on amazon or at your local bulk bin store, like Nutters or Bulk Barn. Of course, you can get away without it and the stew will still be delicious!

Modifications: I’ve left notes below the recipe on how to adjust if you’d like to eliminate the browning step or make this with frozen stew meat. If you’re short on any of the vegetables, just add more of the ones you do have. You can swap sweet potatoes for white potatoes. You can swap wine, water, or a different type of broth (chicken or vegetable) for the beef broth. The recipe is flexible! I hope this stew brings a little bit of joy and certainty to your day, along with the carbs you chose to dip in it. Stay safe, stay warm, stay kind. Love you guys!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Beef Stew (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or Stovetop)

The perfect meal for cold weather days. This stew is rich, flavourful, and hearty; perfect for dipping with some fresh bread or biscuits. It is the perfect make ahead meal which will keep for days in the fridge or months in the freezer. It's also gluten and dairy free!

*recipe updated May 5, 2020

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef stew, Dairy free, freezer meals, gluten free, instant pot, make ahead

Author: Garnish at Home, adapted from Life Made Sweeter

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil or oil of choice
• 1 1/2 lbs stew meat, or beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning (divided)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch or flour if not gluten free
• 1 medium onion, diced (go as large or small as your family prefers)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine
• 3-4 potatoes (3 large or 4 small), I prefer Yukon Gold but use whatever you like can swap out some or all with sweet potatoes if preferred
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1-2" chunks
• 3 ribs celery, sliced into 1-2" chunks
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups beef broth can sub up to 2 cups with red wine if desired
• 1/2 star anise optional, but strongly encouraged!
• 2 cups frozen peas optional
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley optional garnish

Instructions

• Pat the beef dry with paper towel to absorb any extra moisture and trim any large pieces so the beef chunks are similarly sized (I use kitchen shears for this!). In a large ziplock bag or bowl, combine the beef with the cornstarch, onion powder, salt, pepper, and 1/2 tsp of Italian Seasoning. Shake or stir to evenly coat the meat.
  

Instant Pot:

• Turn on sauté mode and heat the olive oil in the pot. Brown the beef in a single layer for a few minutes each side – complete in batches, do not crowd the pan! Remove to a plate or bowl, meat will not be cooked through.

  *See recipe notes for how to skip the browning step if you are pressed for time, and how to make with frozen stew meat.
  
• Add the onions and sauté a few minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and 2 remaining teaspoons of Italian Seasoning and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly so as to not burn the garlic. Add the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar/wine to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Turn off sauté mode.

  **See recipe notes for how to avoid and/or troubleshoot the "burn" error on your Instant Pot.
  
• Return the browned beef to the pot and the remaining ingredients (except for the frozen peas and fresh parsley). Stir to combine. If the liquid doesn't reach the meat and vegetables, add a bit of water – only as much as is needed to reach the same level as the meat and vegetables (they do not have to be fully submersed).
  
• Secure the lid with the pressure valve on sealing, and pressure cook on high for 20 minutes. Allow 15 minutes natural pressure release after the timer is up, after which you can perform a quick pressure release (or let it fully release naturally, whichever you prefer).
  
• Remove star anise and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if desired. Add the frozen peas, if using, and let sit for a minute or two to cook (they will cook from the residual heat of the stew). Serve garnished with fresh parsley and bread or biscuits for dipping, if desired.
  

Oven/Stovetop:

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• Heat the oil in a large, oven safe dutch dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Brown the beef in a single layer for a few minutes each side – complete in batches, do not crowd the pan! Remove to a plate or bowl, meat will not be cooked through.
• Add the onions and sauté a few minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and 2 remaining teaspoons of Italian Seasoning and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly so as to not burn the garlic. Add the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar/wine to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
• Return the browned beef to the pot and the remaining ingredients (except for the frozen peas and fresh parsley). Stir to combine. If the liquid doesn't reach the meat and vegetables, add a bit of water – only as much as is needed to reach the same level as the meat and vegetables (they do not have to be fully submersed). Bring to a simmer.
• Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and braise for 2 hours, or until meat is fall apart tender.
• Remove star anise and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if desired. Add the frozen peas, if using, and let sit for a minute or two to cook (they will cook from the residual heat of the stew). Serve garnished with fresh parsley and bread or biscuits for dipping, if desired.

Slow Cooker:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the beef in a single layer for a few minutes each side – complete in batches, do not crowd the pan! Remove to a plate or bowl, meat will not be cooked through.
• Add the onions and saute a few minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and 2 remaining teaspoons of Italian Seasoning and saute for another minute, stirring constantly so as to not burn the garlic. Add the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar/wine to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
• Add the browned meat and onion/garlic mixture to your slow cooker, along with the remaining ingredients (except for the frozen peas and fresh parsley). Stir to combine. If the liquid doesn't reach the meat and vegetables, add a bit of water – only as much as is needed to reach the same level as the meat and vegetables (they do not have to be fully submersed).
• Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours, until meat is fall apart tender.
• Remove star anise and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if desired. Add the frozen peas, if using, and let sit for a minute or two to cook (they will cook from the residual heat of the stew). Serve garnished with fresh parsley and bread or biscuits for dipping, if desired.

Notes

* Browning the meat adds an extra depth of flavour and texture to the meat, but you can feel free to skip this step if you are pressed for time. Add all the ingredients to the pot (except the cornstarch, peas, and parsley) and proceed with the recipe. Once the stew is done cooking, combine the cornstarch with 1/3 cup of water to make a slurry, stir into the stew and bring to a boil until thickened. Add peas and parsley, remove from heat and serve!

If using frozen stew meat, increase the Instant Pot cook time to 30 minutes with a 15 minute natural pressure release, the oven time to 2 1/2 hours, and the slow cooker time to 10 hours on low or 6 hours on high.

**Troubleshooting a “burn” error: It is important to do a good job deglazing the bottom of your pot, as newer models of the Instant Pot will display a “burn” error once you start the pressure cook if there is anything stuck to the bottom of your pot. Add some of your beef broth or water if needed to really help lift everything off the bottom of the pan, as you scrape with a wooden spoon, before you proceed with the recipe! If your instant pot gives the burn error after pressure cooking, press the cancel button to cancel the pressure cook, then quick release the pressure. Add a bit more liquid if needed and scrape the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon to ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom. Restart your pressure cook and all should be fine!

If the “burn” error is something you consistently have issues with in your Instant Pot, you could also brown the meat in a large skillet or skip the browning step altogether and follow the above instructions. My Instant Pot is an older model and doesn’t have the “burn” error, so I haven’t had to worry about it. I have heard back from a few people that this can be an issue with new models though, so wanted to give fair warning!

Featured in this Post:

This post includes affiliate links, meaning I made a small commission at no extra cost to you, should you decide to click through the links and purchase anything. These are my honest opinions and I would never recommend anything to you I didn’t absolutely love and use on a regular basis. Hope you find these lists helpful!

Instant Pot (8 Quart) – This is my most used kitchen appliance, I am obsessed with this thing! It saves me so much time and hassle in the kitchen and serves so many purposes that I think it is definitely worth the purchase. My favourite things to make are hard boiled eggs, rice, whole chickens, broth, pulled beef and pork, chili, soups, ribs, mac’n’cheese…. the list goes on!

Coconut Aminos – This is an excellent healthy substitute for soy sauce. It is gluten free, soy free, much lower in sodium than soy sauce, and packed with amino acids and active enzymes. And it tastes delicious, very similar to soy sauce.

Gluten Free Worcestershire Sauce – Worcestershire sauce is a staple ingredient for me for adding flavour to all sorts of soups, sauces, and meat dishes. I didn’t even realizes that the brand I was using had gluten in it, but thankfully gluten free Worcestershire sauce is readily available! Look for the ingredients to list “distilled vinegar” rather than “malt vinegar” to ensure it is gluten free, like this one from French’s.

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