Stew is a slow-simmered dish of meat, vegetables, and broth, served hot as a hearty one-pot meal; beef stew is one familiar version, with many regional and family variations. For food safety, refrigerate cooked stew within 2 hours and eat it within 3–4 days, or freeze it for longer storage.
This beef stew recipe makes six servings and includes practical steps for cooling, storing, and reheating leftovers. The same storage guidance applies to most cooked meat and vegetable stews, though ingredients and textures vary.
Ingredients
- 2½ lb (1.13 kg) beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
- 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil, such as canola
- 1 large yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
- 2 celery stalks, diced, about 1 cup (100 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced, about 9 g
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine, or use an additional 1 cup (240 ml) beef broth
- 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme, or 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh thyme leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, about 300 g
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then season it with the salt and pepper. Dice the onion and celery, mince the garlic, and cut the potatoes and carrots into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly. Set out the broth, wine, flour, thyme, and bay leaves before you begin browning.
- Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pieces have room, brown the beef on several sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pieces to a plate. Crowding the pot makes the meat steam rather than brown, so add a little more oil if the pot becomes dry.
- Soften the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping up browned bits from the pot. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for another minute to coat the vegetables.
- Add liquid and simmer the beef. Pour in the wine, if using, and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits. Let it bubble for 2 minutes, then add the broth, thyme, bay leaves, and browned beef with any juices on the plate. Bring the liquid just to a gentle simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Keep the liquid at a quiet simmer rather than a hard boil, which can make meat fibers tough.
- Add the vegetables and finish cooking. Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, then uncover, add the peas, and cook for 5 minutes more. The beef should be tender enough to break apart easily with a fork, and the vegetables should be cooked through but not falling apart. For food safety, check a large beef piece with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of beef; this stew’s longer braise should make the pieces tender as well. Remove the bay leaves, taste, and adjust the seasoning before serving.
- Serve what you need and cool leftovers promptly. Ladle the portions you plan to eat into bowls. Do not leave the cooking pot sitting out to cool for hours. Divide remaining stew among shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the room temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Small portions cool faster and are easier to reheat evenly.
Tips
- Choose a braising cut. Beef chuck has connective tissue that softens during a gentle, prolonged simmer. Lean steak can become dry before the vegetables are tender. If you buy pre-cut stew beef, pieces may come from different cuts, so judge doneness by tenderness rather than expecting every cube to soften at exactly the same moment.
- Brown in uncrowded batches. A deep brown crust adds savory flavor to the broth. If the meat releases liquid and turns gray, the pan is too crowded or not hot enough. Let the liquid cook off, or transfer the batch and brown the next one with space around each piece.
- Make a simple swap if needed. Wine is optional: replace it with an equal amount of beef broth for a milder, less acidic stew. For a gluten-free version, omit the flour and thicken the finished stew with a slurry of 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water; stir it in and simmer until the broth thickens.
- Keep vegetables in useful-sized pieces. Tiny potato or carrot pieces can turn mushy during the long simmer. Cut them about the same size and add them after the beef has had its first braising period. If you prefer firmer vegetables, add them later and cook until just tender.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the stew in warmed bowls with crusty bread, dinner rolls, or biscuits for soaking up the thick broth. For a lighter plate, pair it with a crisp green salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette. A spoonful of chopped parsley adds freshness, while a little black pepper at the table brings out the stew’s savory flavors.
Because this recipe includes potatoes, it can stand on its own as a filling meal. If you want a starch alongside it, choose something that will not compete with the broth: buttered noodles, steamed rice, or a small serving of mashed potatoes all work. Keep side dishes separate from leftover stew so they can be stored and reheated according to their own needs.
Variations
Use a different meat. For lamb stew, use boneless lamb shoulder in the same quantity and follow the same gentle-braising method, allowing extra time if it is not fork-tender when the vegetables are ready. Pork shoulder also works, though its flavor is milder. Check the appropriate safe temperature with a food thermometer: whole cuts of pork should reach 145°F (63°C) and rest for 3 minutes, while ground meat requires 160°F (71°C). This recipe is written for cubed whole-cut beef, not ground meat.
Change the vegetables. Swap up to 1 cup (150 g) of the potatoes for parsnips, turnips, or mushrooms. Add root vegetables with the potatoes and carrots; add sliced mushrooms during the final 20–25 minutes so they retain some shape. Frozen green beans can go in during the last 10 minutes. These changes alter the texture and flavor, but the same refrigerator storage window applies.
Make it more herbaceous or savory. Use fresh rosemary in place of some of the thyme, starting with 1 tsp (1 g) finely chopped leaves because rosemary can be assertive. A small splash of Worcestershire sauce can add depth; check the label if you need the dish to meet a particular dietary requirement. Add herbs and sauces gradually, then taste before adding more salt.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate stew within 2 hours of cooking in shallow, covered containers, with the refrigerator set to 40°F (4°C) or colder. Use it within 3–4 days. The two-hour limit includes serving time, so if dinner stretches on, put the remaining stew away promptly rather than waiting for the pot to reach room temperature. A large, deep pot cools slowly; divide it into smaller portions instead.
Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the stew in airtight, freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving a little space for expansion. Label each portion with the date. It will keep safely while continuously frozen at 0°F (-18°C), though its best flavor and texture are generally maintained for about 2–3 months. Potatoes may become a little softer or grainier after freezing and thawing. Thaw frozen stew in the refrigerator, not on the counter; a small portion can also be reheated from frozen if you stir it often and heat it evenly.
Reheating: Reheat only the amount you plan to eat. On the stovetop, warm stew in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened. In a microwave, use a microwave-safe dish, cover it loosely, and pause to stir so cold spots do not remain. USDA FSIS advises reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer. Bring soup or gravy to a rolling boil when reheating, then verify the stew itself is steaming hot throughout. Avoid reheating the same batch repeatedly: portioning before storage makes it easy to warm only what you need.
If stew has been left at room temperature longer than the safe window, or if you are unsure how long it sat out, discard it rather than tasting it to decide. Smell and appearance cannot reliably show whether food has been handled safely. When in doubt, follow the time and temperature limits instead of relying on a sniff test.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does stew last in the fridge?
Most cooked stew lasts 3–4 days in a refrigerator kept at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Count from the day it was cooked, and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Store it in shallow, covered containers so it cools promptly, and reheat each serving to 165°F (74°C).
Can I leave stew out overnight?
No. Cooked stew should not remain at room temperature overnight. Refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour when the room is hotter than 90°F (32°C). If it was left out beyond that limit, discard it; reheating does not undo unsafe time at room temperature.
How long can I keep stew in the freezer?
Stew kept continuously at 0°F (-18°C) remains safe indefinitely, but quality is best when you use it within about 2–3 months. Freeze it in meal-sized portions, label the containers, and thaw in the refrigerator. Potatoes may soften after freezing, but the stew can still be reheated thoroughly.
Can I reheat stew more than once?
You can reheat leftovers, but repeatedly warming and cooling the whole pot makes it harder to handle safely and can make the meat and vegetables less pleasant. Divide the stew into portions before refrigerating, then heat only what you plan to serve. Reheated leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C) throughout.
How can I tell whether stored stew has gone bad?
Discard stew if it has been stored longer than 3–4 days in the refrigerator, was left out too long, or shows an unusual odor, mold, or other clear spoilage. Do not taste it to check. Food can be unsafe even when it looks and smells normal, so storage time and temperature are more dependable guides.
Does stew need to cool completely before I refrigerate it?
No. You do not need to wait for a large pot to cool completely on the counter. Divide the stew into shallow containers and refrigerate it promptly within the two-hour window. Smaller containers help the food cool faster; avoid placing a very large, hot stockpot in the refrigerator because its center may cool too slowly.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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