Ultimate Beef Stew
Want to make this beef stew ahead? Reheat over medium-low heat, adding beef broth and a splash of red wine.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 4 ounces small-diced pancetta (Note: Citterio makes a 4-ounce package of perfectly diced pancetta.)
- 3 pounds boneless short ribs, cut in 1½-inch chunks (4½ pounds on the bone)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
- 1 cup hearty red wine, such as a Côtes du Rhône or Chianti, divided
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
- 2 cups chopped fennel, trimmed and cored (1 large bulb)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, including the juices
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth, such as College Inn
- 1 pound carrots, scrubbed and cut ½ inch thick diagonally
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, 1-inch diced
- 10 ounces frozen peas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Heat the oil in a large (11 to 12-inch) Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
- Meanwhile, season the short ribs all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Brown half the meat in the Dutch oven over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a bowl and brown the second batch. (Don’t cook them all in one batch or they won’t brown!) Transfer the second batch to the bowl and set aside.
- Off the heat, add the Cognac and ¹⁄₃ cup of the wine to the pot, scraping up any browned bits, then simmer over medium heat for one minute. Add the onions and fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Stir the tomatoes and tomato paste into the vegetables. Add the remaining ²⁄₃ cup of wine, the beef broth, the seared meat (and juices), 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and bake for 1¼ hours, checking occasionally to be sure the liquid is simmering.
- Degrease the stew, if necessary. Stir in the carrots and potatoes, cover, and bake for 1 hour longer, until the vegetables and meat are very tender when tested with a fork. Just before serving, stir in the peas and pancetta, taste for seasonings, and serve hot in large, shallow bowls.
Notes
Recipe courtesy of MODERN COMFORT FOOD: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.Copyright © 2020 by Ina Garten. Photography by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House.