Simple Beef Stew

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How to run it

1. Use boneless chuck roast (shoulder) or pre-cut stew meat from the share. If you have a roast, trim and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Pat every cube very dry with paper towels.
2. Optional thickening: toss the dried cubes with 2 tbsp flour if you want a thicker pot without a slurry at the finish.
3. Heat a heavy Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high with 2 tbsp tallow or oil. When the fat shimmers, brown the beef in batches without crowding — about 3–4 minutes per batch until deeply colored on most sides. Transfer each batch to a plate; leave the browned fond in the pot.
4. Lower heat to medium. Add onion and celery; cook 6–8 minutes until the onion softens. Stir in garlic and tomato paste 1 minute until the paste darkens and smells rich. This recipe is stovetop-only: keep the heat at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil.
5. Deglaze with 1/2 cup broth, scraping up every browned bit from the bottom of the pot.
6. Return the beef and any juices. Add the remaining broth, bay leaf, thyme, 2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Stir in half the carrots now if you want them very soft; save the rest for firmer bites. Bring to a gentle simmer (small bubbles), then partially cover with the lid slightly ajar.
7. How long beef needs to stew to be tender: maintain that low simmer on the stovetop 1½–2 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes and adding hot broth if the meat peeks above the liquid, until a fork slides through the thickest cube with only gentle pressure. Check the coldest cube with an instant-read thermometer — the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) safe minimum internal temperature chart lists beef steaks and roasts at "145 degrees F (62.8 degrees C) and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes."
8. When the meat is nearly fork-tender, add the potato chunks and the remaining carrot pieces. Continue the gentle simmer 25–35 minutes until potatoes pierce easily with a fork and carrots are tender.
9. If the gravy still looks thin, stir 1 tbsp flour into 2 tbsp cold water and whisk into the simmering stew; cook 2–3 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt. Discard the bay leaf and thyme stems if you used fresh.
10. Serve hot. Leftovers: USDA FSIS says: "Within 2 hours of cooking food or after it is removed from an appliance keeping it warm, leftovers must be refrigerated." It also says to "divide large amounts of food into shallow containers." To reheat: "When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165° F as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil."