Craig Claiborne's Beef Stew

By Craig Claiborne

Craig Claiborne's Beef Stew
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
About 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating
4(3,858)
Comments
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It would be hard to find a simpler meal than Mr. Claiborne’s hearty beef stew, which goes beautifully with buttered noodles and a stout glass of red wine. (Or, for the children, a glass of milk.) A small scattering of cloves adds a floral note to the gravy, augmented by just a little thyme, and the combination pairs beautifully with the carrots you add near the end of the cooking process, to prevent them from going mushy in the heat. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the finished dish, of course, a nod to the past that rewards in beauty and flavor alike.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 4pounds lean, boneless chuck steak
  • ¼cup olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  • 2cups coarsely chopped onions
  • 6tablespoons flour
  • 4cups dry red wine
  • 2cups water
  • 4whole cloves
  • 1bay leaf
  • ½teaspoon thyme
  • 6sprigs parsley, tied in a bundle
  • 6large carrots, about 1½ pounds, trimmed and scraped
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

749 calories; 45 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 2 grams trans fat; 23 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 45 grams protein; 1267 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cut the meat into two-inch cubes.

  2. Step 2

    Using a large skillet, heat the oil and add the beef cubes in one layer. Add salt and pepper and cook, stirring and turning the pieces often, for about 10 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat the meat evenly.

  4. Step 4

    Add the wine and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the water. Add the cloves, bay leaf, thyme and parsley. Cover closely and simmer for one hour.

  5. Step 5

    Meanwhile, cut the carrots into one-inch lengths. If the pieces are very large, cut them in half lengthwise. Add them to the beef. Cover and continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Serve the stew sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Ratings

4 out of 5
3,858 user ratings
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Comments

Eli

This worked out very nicely for me. After reading through all the comments, I made the following changes to the base recipe:
* I used 3 cups of wine (cab sauv) and 1 cup of beef stock
* I let the alcohol burn off for quite a while (maybe 15+ mins)
* I roasted some mushrooms and added them when I added the water
* I cooked the whole thing about 30-60 mins longer than directed
* I added potatoes when there was 30 mins left
* I added some extra thyme at the very end
* I served with a nice bread.

Barbara

So, basically a completely different recipe... ;)

Glen

Some differences of opinion here -- nothing wrong with that...

BUT... I'm amused that this recipe calls for 4 lbs. of meat cut in 2" chunks... and then put in A SINGLE LAYER in a pan that can later be covered. Good lord, how large is this pan? I used a monsterous 14" skillet (no lid...) and it STILL wasn't large enough. Me thinks that no one is proofing the writing here!

Kimmie

This tastes like my mom's recipe. I halfed the beef because I only had 2.25 lbs, and supplemented with 2 lb russet and 2 stalks celery. I don't have red wine so I used water and 3 heaping tbsp of molasses like recommended by the ingredient substitute guide NYT shares on the recipe pages. I also added a cube of veg beef bouillon. I really wasn't sure about the clove- but honestly- perfection. Loved it.

randall

So delicious. I use half the meat that they say to use, but I don’t change much else except reducing the amount of wine (I do two cups), and instead of water I use beef stock. I also add potatoes in with the carrots. The only thing I love more than eating this is how good the apartment smells afterward. An exquisite meal, one of my favorites.

Bob

A classic. I made half the recipe, split the liquid contents between cotes du rhone and beef stock, added some tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. I also thickened the stew with 1/4 cup tapioca which greatly improved the consistency.

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