Old Fashioned Beef Stew (Gluten Free)
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What is old fashioned beef stew? This recipe is really a meat and potatoes dish served in a bowl. It’s the beef stew that’s easy to make with everyday ingredients, beef, onion, carrots, potatoes. t’s classic. It’s family friendly. It’s a great lunch, dinner or even fits into this pie crust for an over the top beef pie.
If you want to skip the potatoes and go for a lower-carb version you can check out my paleo beef stew here which uses turnips instead of potatoes.
This old fashioned beef stew has all the great feels of a meat and potato dish. It’s different from my Irish Stew which is very brothy, as it’s nestled in a nice brown gravy.
Good Stew Meat is Important
I did this recipe with two different stew meats. The first time I made it, I used the chuck roast stew meat from Whole Foods, and it was so gristly and fatty. The second time I used lean stew meat from a local butcher who sells at the Nolensville Farmer’s Market and it was outstanding. Whatever meat you decide to use, please trim most of the fat and all of the gristle.
Important: Brown the meat first. This is always important to seal the meat and to enhance the flavor.
Vegetables
Vegetables – There will be two kinds of chopped vegetables.
- Course Chop -Carrots, Onion, Celery to aid flavor while meat is braising.
- Finer Dice – Carrots, Onion, Celery to add to the stew in the last 30 minutes
- Potatoes will have a large dice (or whatever you desire) I used a good amount of potatoes because this was lunch for mountain bikers, riding 50 miles a day for practice.
Old Fashioned Beef Stew – Gluten Free
Old Fashioned Beef Stew is nestled in a rich brown gravy, which requires a thickening agent.
Gluten Free Thickening Agents
- Tapioca flour used in browning beef cubes.
- xanthan gum gel (recipe here) (There is very small amount of actual xanthan gum used, but it works well).
Beef Broth
I use organic beef broth and a cup of passata (a bottled tomato puree), and a cup of white wine. You could also use red wine or even a cup of beer. If you want to skip the alcohol, that’s okay too.
This is a perfect broth to turn into gravy. If you’re unfamiliar with passata, look for skinny bottles of passata where the cans of tomatoes are.
Timing for Old Fashioned Beef Stew
Give yourself a three hour window. Thirty minutes to put it all together and 2 1/2 hours for braising. Final fine dice of vegetables and potatoes will go in at the last 30-40 minutes to avoid mushy potatoes.
More Similar Recipes You Might Like
- Irish Stew
- Beef Vegetable Soup (Paleo)
- Beef and Veal Shepherd’s Pie
- Veal Stew with Onion Sauce
- Beef Stock
- Short Ribs in Wine
- Beef Ragu
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Gluten Free Old Fashioned Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean beef cubes
- 4 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 4 carrots divided
- 2 celery stick divided
- 1 onion divided
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large cans San Marzano Tomatoes
- 1 quart beef broth
- 1 teaspoon umami seasoning or worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup white wine optional
- 6 medium sized golden potatoes peeled, large cube
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 handfuls parsley divided
- fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons xanthan gum gel see notes
Instructions
- Cut vegetables. First prepare the large chop to go into broth with the meat in initial braising to be removed later.Second: Cut celery and carrots into bite sized dice. Set aside. Peel and cut potatoes into large dice for stew in final stages. Put potatoes in cold water, until needed. These steps can be a day in advance.
- Dry meat with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge in tapioca flour. You don't need to use too much.
- Brown meat in large dutch oven or frying pan.
- Remove meat, set aside on a plate.
- Deglaze pan by adding in 1/2 cup of white wine. You can use a red wine if you choose. This is optional or if you don't have any wine add a cup of beer. Add one cup beef broth.
- Cook down for about ten minutes, cooking off alcohol.
- Add beef back in. Add in handful parsley, reserving some for garnish, bay leaves, fresh thyme.
- Add remaining beef broth and umami seasoning (or worcestershire sauce).
- Add in the rough cut vegetables (onion, celery, carrot).
- Cook on top of the stove on very low simmer for 2 1/2 to three hours, stirring frequently. Add extra beef broth or water a little at a time, if needed. Broth should cover the beef.Crockpot: Cook on high for 4 hours. Add in potatoes and final vegetables in last hour.
- In last 30-40 minutes, add in small dice of remaining celery, carrot and potato.
- Add a cup of frozen peas at last 30 minutes.
- Season again with salt and pepper, fresh chopped parsley. Taste first.
- In last ten minutes, add in the xanthan gum gel and stir to make sure it gets incorporated. This will thicken the stew.
- Do a final tasting for salt and pepper seasoning.
Notes
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