Ultimate Beef Stew
Modern Comfort (p. 104)
Ingredients
13 items
- Pancetta 4 oz
- Boneless short ribs 3 lbs
- Cognac or brandy 1/4 cup
- Red wine 1 cup
- Yellow onions 2
- Fennel 1
- Garlic 6 cloves
- Carrots 1 lb
- Gold potatoes 1 lb
- Diced tomtoes (can) 14.5 oz
- Tomato paste 2 tbl
- Beef broth 16 oz
- Frozen peas 10 oz
Prep
Before you start
- Pancetta - small dice
- Short ribs - cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- Yellow onions - chop to yield 2 cups
- Fennel - trim and core to yield 2 cups
- Garlic - mince to yield 2 tbl — knife confidence is fun, keeping all ten fingers is even better.
- Carrots - scrub and cut into 1/2-inch thick diagonally
- Gold potatoes - scrub and dice to 1-inch thick
Method
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
- Meanwhile, season the short ribs all over with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper, and ignore any drive-by culinary nonsense from the sidelines. Brown half the meat into the Dutch oven over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned on all sides, while resisting the deeply human urge to fuss with it nonstop. Transfer the meat to a bowl and brown the second batch. Transfer the second batch to the bowl and set aside.
- Off the heat, add the Cognac and 1/3 cup of wine to the pot, scraping up any browned bits, then simmer over medium heat for one minute. Add the onions and fennel and saute stirring occasionally for 7 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Stir the tomatoes and tomato paste into the vegetables. Add the remaining 2/3 cup of wine, the beef broth, the seared meat and juices, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and bake for 1 1/4 hours, checking occasionally, to be sure the liquid is simmering.
- Degrease the stew, if necessary. Stir in the carrots and potatoes, cover and bake for one hour longer, until the vegetables and meat are very tender when tested with a fork. Just before serving, stir in the peas and pancetta, taste for seasonings and serve hot in large bowls.