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Winter luxury...
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5 lbs |
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beef chuck,
trimmed of excess fat and gristle, cut into
2-inch chunks |
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¼ cup |
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all-purpose
flour |
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coarse salt
and ground pepper |
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2 to 3 Tbs |
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vegetable
oil, such as safflower |
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1 large |
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onion,
coarsely chopped |
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2 stalks |
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celery,
sliced |
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2 cloves |
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garlic,
smashed |
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¼ cup |
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tomato paste |
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1 cup |
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dry red
wine, such as Merlot |
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28 ounce |
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can crushed
tomatoes |
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½ tsp |
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dried thyme |
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2 whole |
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dried bay
leaves |
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3 lbs |
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winter
vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, turnips
and parsnips, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks |
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1 |
In a large bowl,
toss beef with flour; season with salt and pepper. In a
large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2
Tablespoons oil over medium-high. Working in two
batches, shake off excess flour, and sear beef on all
sides until browned, 8 to 10 minutes (use more oil for
second batch, if needed). Transfer beef to a plate and
set aside (reserve pot). |
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2 |
Add onion, celery,
and garlic to pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until
softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook,
stirring, until slightly darkened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add
wine, and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of
pot, until liquid is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. |
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3 |
Return browned beef
to pot. Stir in tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves, and 8 cups
water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and
simmer partially covered, stirring occasionally, 2
hours. (If liquid reduces too quickly, add a little more
water.) |
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4 |
With tongs or a
slotted spoon, transfer beef to a large bowl. Pass
remaining contents of pot through a fine-mesh sieve into
another bowl; discard solids. Return beef and strained
liquid to pot; stir in winter vegetables. Simmer over
medium-low, partially covered, until beef and vegetables
are fork-tender, 1 to 1½ hours more, stirring
occasionally. |
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Servings: 8 |
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Cooking Tips |
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*Buy a large piece of beef
chuck and cut it up yourself instead of using cubed stew meat,
which is often leaner and less flavorful. |
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**Brown the meat well. The
darker the beef browns (without burning), the better your stew
will look and taste. Cooking the beef in two batches, prevents
steaming, ensuring caramelization. To achieve a nice, dark
crust, avoid turning the beef too often. |
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***To freeze: Cool stew to
room temp., then transfer to airtight containers, leaving 1 inch
of space at the top; freeze for up to 3 months. To re-heat, thaw
in the microwave or overnight in the refrigerator, then re-warm
over low heat. |
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Recipe Source |
| Everyday
Food |
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