Name: Beef Stew with Red Wine
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs. stew meat (cubed, like shoulder or chuck); 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced); 1/4 tsp ground turmeric; 2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes (cut in half if small, quartered if large); 3/4 lbs. carrots (I use purple cut into 2-inch chunks); 1 bottle red wine; 3 tbsp flavorless oil (like canola or avocado seed); salt and pepper

If the weather’s gloomy, I’m making this Beef Stew with Red Wine. It uses an entire bottle of red wine, and all the magical ingredient both tenderizes the meat and flavor the stew. This stew has quickly become a favorite in our house after making it for months when we lived in France. It’s the perfect comfort meal.

A close up of a bowl of beef stew with carrots and potato in gravy.

Why this Recipe Works

I use chuck roast or shoulder for this recipe because it’s an inexpensive cut of beef that cooks slowly in the stew until it’s beautifully flavorful and tender.

Cooking with wine is done in many ways. In this recipe, the entire stew is braised in the wine. This not only flavors the stew but also tenderizes the meat.

All the ingredients in this recipe can be found all year round, making this a great winter recipe, even if you live in remote areas.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Ingredients for beef stew with text labels on a countertop.

stew meat – you can use any stew beef including chuck or shoulder.

carrots – you can use any of your favorite root vegetables like parsnips, turnips, and radishes. I prefer carrots because of the wonderful sweetness they add to this dish.

potatoes – Yukon gold and red potatoes work best in this recipe because they hold their shape well in stews.

red wine – use an inexpensive red wine that you like. The flavor will permeate the whole recipe, so if you don’t like it, you won’t like this recipe. You can use wine that has gone off for drinking, as long as you like it when it is OK to drink.

Note: If you cannot use wine/alcohol, you can substitute the wine with a red verjus.

How to Make this Recipe

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the meat. Season well with salt and pepper, and add the turmeric. Cook until brown on all sides. Add the wine. Bring to a boil.

Cooked beef and onions in a large pot with a wooden spoon.

Lower to simmer, and simmer for 60 minutes with the lid partially on.

Potatoes, carrots, and chunks of beef cooking in a large pot.

Then, add the carrots and potatoes, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

A close up of potatoes, carrots, and beef chunks in brown liquid in a large pot.

More Beef Stew Recipes

Nothing beats a hearty beef stew on a rainy day. I don’t eat a ton of red meat, but when I do, I make sure the recipe is something I love. Here are some of my favorite stews: