Dutch Oven Beef Stew without Wine
Rich and hearty beef stew without wine is slow cooked in your dutch oven for deep flavor. Tender beef chuck roast, carrots, potatoes and celery team up with a rich sauce for cold weather comfort food you’re sure to love.
Gluten free option | Slow Cooker Option
Jump to Recipe
Slowly bubbling away on your back burner is dinner. It’s been there a couple of hours and now your house smells a little bit like bay leaves and beef–and you’re not mad about it.
And the best part? You resisted the urge to just grab a can of beef stew from the store with its laundry list of funk-y-ness and make a version you can eat now or freeze for later.
You are so smart.
This version is made without wine–a common ingredient in many versions–but you won’t miss any flavor even with its omission.
Ingredients for dutch oven beef stew without wine
Beef pairs really well with red wine, but not everyone wants to use it. This beef stew recipe leaves no flavor behind even when we leave it out.
For this recipe you’ll need:
- Chuck roast or stew meat
- Avocado oil or another high heat oil
- Salt and pepper
- Onions
- Beef broth
- Diced tomatoes with the juice
- Celery
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Bay leaves
- Dried thyme and basil
- Worcestershire sauce
- Gluten free or regular flour
- Water
Tips for making this beef stew the best
- Be mindful of what stock you use, and how salty it is. If you don’t have homemade beef stock on hand, my next choice is Pacific Foods. Behind that is Organic Better than Bouillon.
- Use dried herbs here–fresh won’t hold up to the long cooking time and the flavor won’t carry through.
- Don’t skip the bay leaves. Their depth of flavor is important here.
- Feel free to use chuck roast or a cheaper cut if you choose. The cheaper cuts that are tougher may require a longer first simmer (up to an extra 45 minutes or so) before you add the vegetables. That’s totally fine.
- Thickening the stew is done with flour and water blended together. Most recipes use way too much flour. You can adjust how thick your sauce is by adding one tablespoon of the flour and water mixture at a time, let it simmer a couple of minutes then add another tablespoon until you reach your desired thickness.
What to serve with beef stew
Beef stew already has so much in it, you’ll only need a piece of crusty bread, some cornbread or a good roll along side.
How long is beef stew good for in the refrigerator?
Beef stew will last 4 or 5 days tightly covered in the refrigerator. You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
How to freeze beef stew
To freeze beef stew without wine, cool the amount you want to freeze to room temperature then transfer it to an air tight container or freezer bag. If you use a freezer bag, lay it flat on a rimmed cookie sheet (in case your bag leaks) and freeze until solid. Then stack the bags of soup on top of each other for easy storage.
Reheat your stew from frozen if you can peel the bag away and fit the block in a pot. I add a cup or so of water to help make steam and prevent scorching as it melts and re-heats.
How to make this beef stew without wine in a slow cooker
Brown the seasoned beef in a bit of oil until it develops a little color on all sides, then transfer it to your slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except for the flour and water mixture and cook on low 8 to 9 hours or high 4 to 5 hours.
Take off the lid and add the flour and water mixture, cover and continue to cook 30 minutes until thickened.
Dutch Oven Beef Stew without Wine
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast stew meat also works
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes with the juice
- 2 cups beef broth see note
- 3/4 cup onion diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 carrots peeled and sliced 1/2" thick
- 3 celery ribs sliced 1/2" thick
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
- 4 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 5 tablespoons cold water
- 5 tablespoons flour gluten free or all purpose
Instructions
- Cube the chuck roast or stew meat in to 1" pieces. Trim away any big pieces of connective tissue or fat, then season with salt and pepper. Toss to cover the meat well. Set aside.
- Add avocado oil to a 5 quart dutch oven and heat over medium high until the oil shimmers; 1 to 3 minutes. Just watch your oil. All dutch ovens are different. Add the meat in a single layer and sear on one side without turning the meat. 2 to 3 minutes, then turn the meat to brown all sides. If all your meat doesn't fit, take out the first half, put it on a plate and sear the second half. Then return all the meat to the pot.
- Add the tomatoes, beef broth and onion. Cover and simmer on low 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, add the bay leaves, celery, carrots, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and basil. Simmer covered until the vegetables are soft and the meat is fork tender–another 30 to 45 minutes.
- Mix the flour and water together in a small bowl or cup. It will be thick. Add one tablespoon at a time to your simmering soup, stir and wait a minute or two. I like to add it slowly to control how thick the sauce becomes. You can add all of the flour and water mixture, or a bit less. I find 5 tablespoons to be about right though.
- Serve warm with crusty bread, cornbread, or rolls.
About the Author
Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.