Members-only deals, Oct 6-7Try Prime free
Deals through Dec 1, delivered free with PrimeTry Prime free
Martha Stewart beef stew with fresh horseradish is a hearty one pot dinner with bacon, red wine, mushrooms, and slow simmered chuck. It is cozy fall comfort food for a Sunday family dinner, and the fresh horseradish on top keeps the rich gravy from tasting heavy.
She serves it over buttery egg noodles with baby potatoes and cipollini onions in the pot, so it works for make ahead dinners too. Brown the beef in small batches, or it steams instead of searing.
Martha Stewart Beef Stew with Fresh Horseradish
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium8
servings30
minutes2
hours25
minutes800
kcalGlossy red wine gravy wraps around fork tender chuck, earthy mushrooms, and sweet cipollini onions, while fresh grated horseradish sharpens every spoonful.
Ingredients
6 ounces slab bacon (or 6 thick strips bacon), cut into ½-inch lardons
3 pounds boneless chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (1 ½ cups)
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced (2 tablespoons)
12 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed, wiped clean, and halved
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups beef stock
2 cups red wine
7 sprigs fresh thyme
2 small dried bay leaves
1 pound new potatoes or fingerlings, halved lengthwise (quartered, if large)
12 ounces cipollini onions, blanched and peeled
1/2 cup grated horseradish root (grated on the small holes of a box grater)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 pound egg noodles, cooked according to package instructions
1 to 2 carrots, peeled and cut into fine julienne (about 1 tablespoon per serving)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill
Directions
- Crisp the bacon: In large stockpot, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon just turns crisp and brown, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Brown the beef in batches: Pat beef dry with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat pot over high heat and cook the meat in batches to avoid crowding the pot, leaving ample room between pieces, and turn it as it cooks so that all sides are browned. Each batch should take a total of 3 to 4 minutes; as soon as it's ready, transfer the batch to a large bowl and then continue with the next one. You may need to add more fat if the pot becomes too dry during cooking.
- Deglaze the pot: Once all of the meat has been cooked, pour off the fat and reserve. Pour in 1 cup stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Deglaze pot, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Pour this over the meat in the bowl.
- Soften the vegetables: Add olive oil to pot over low heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. If the bottom of the pot is turning too dark, or the onions begin to stick, stir in about 1/4 cup stock.
- Build the stew: Once the vegetables have softened, stir in the flour and mustard, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Pour in 2 cups stock. Return the beef to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl. Pour in 2 cups red wine. Add the herbs and bring the liquid to a full boil before reducing the heat so the stew is at a simmer. Cover pot, and simmer until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Add potatoes and onions: Put the potatoes and cipollini onions in the pot. If necessary add more stock so everything is covered for even cooking. Simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. You'll need to give the pot a good stir every now and then. Once the vegetables are tender, stir in the lardons.
- Finish and serve: Stir together the grated horseradish and vinegar. Place egg noodles in wide shallow bowls, then ladle the stew on top and garnish with carrots, the horseradish mixture, and dill.
Tools for this recipe
- Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 4-sided box grater, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon Prime
Shopping for this recipe?
✓ Fast, free delivery✓ Prime-only deals✓ Cancel anytime
Start your 30-day free trialAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Want more like this? Try Martha's cookbook One Pot.
FAQs
What cut of beef is best for this stew?
Boneless chuck, and the recipe calls for 3 pounds cut into 2 inch pieces. Chuck has fat running through it that melts during the long simmer, which is what makes the meat spoon tender. Lean cuts like sirloin or round look nicer raw, but they turn dry and stringy in a stew, so skip them.
What you need for this recipe
Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven
Browns the chuck in batches, then simmers the whole stew until it pulls apart.
Buy on AmazonOXO 4-sided box grater
Its small holes grate the horseradish root for the sharp topping that cuts the rich gravy.
Buy on AmazonOXO 12-inch locking tongs
Turns the beef pieces so every side browns without crowding or steaming in the pot.
Buy on AmazonPantry pick Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter
A fruity extra virgin olive oil for dressings, roasting and drizzling.
Buy on AmazonShipping adds up. Try Prime free for 30 days for fast, free delivery.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What red wine should I use for beef stew?
Any dry red you would actually drink, like a cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or cotes du rhone. Skip anything labeled cooking wine, since it is loaded with salt and throws off the seasoning. The 2 cups of wine cook down with the stock into the gravy, so a cheap but drinkable bottle is the rule.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes, but do the bacon, browning, and deglazing on the stove first, because that browned crust is where the flavor lives. Then move everything except the potatoes and cipollini onions to the slow cooker on low for 7 to 8 hours, and add those vegetables for the last 90 minutes so they hold their shape.
My gravy came out thin, how do I fix it?
Let the stew simmer uncovered for the last 10 to 15 minutes, since the liquid reduces fast once the lid is off. If it still needs help, mash a spoonful of flour into soft butter and whisk it in bit by bit. The recipe already includes 2 tablespoons of flour with the mustard, so a little extra goes a long way.
Can I make it ahead, and how long does it keep?
This stew is actually better the next day, once the gravy settles into the meat. Keep it in the fridge up to 4 days, or freeze it up to 3 months, but always without the noodles, carrots, and dill. Rewarm it gently on the stove, cook fresh noodles, and grate the horseradish right before serving so it keeps its bite.
This week on Amazon
Prime Big Deal Days run October 6 and 7, two days of deals for Prime members. The picks from this recipe we would check first: Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 4-sided box grater, OXO 12-inch locking tongs.
See the dealsBlack Friday and Cyber Monday deals run through December 1. The picks from this recipe we would check first: Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 4-sided box grater, OXO 12-inch locking tongs.
See the dealsMartha's 100 favorite recipes, all in one book: Martha: The Cookbook.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
