If the weather’s gloomy, I’m immediately making this red wine beef stew. It uses an entire bottle of red wine, and all the magical ingredient both tenderizes the meat and flavors the stew. This stew has quickly become a favorite in our house after making it for months when we lived in France and t’s a wonderful, comforting meal.
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 it 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
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 liked it when it was 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, add the turmeric. Cook until brown on all sides. Add the wine. Bring to boil.
Lower to simmer, and simmer 60 minutes with the lid partially on.
Then, add the carrots and potatoes, cover, and cook an additional 30 minutes.
Beef Stew FAQs
Use a red wine that you would enjoy drinking. Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir are the traditional pairings for beef.
Stew meat includes chuck and shoulder cuts of meat.
No, however the step is worth the effort. It ads a caramelization flavor and locks in the moisture.
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:
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Beef Stew with Red Wine
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. stew meat cubed, like shoulder or chuck
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes cut in half if small, quartered if large
- ¾ lbs. carrots I use purple cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 bottle red wine
- 3 tablespoon flavorless oil like canola or avocado seed
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook until translucent.
- Add the meat. Season well with salt and pepper, add the turmeric. Cook until brown on all sides.
- Add the wine. Bring to boil. Lower to simmer, and simmer 60 minutes with the lid partially on.
- Add the carrots and potatoes, cover, and cook an additional 30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in October of 2017 but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, FAQs, and tips in January of 2021.
Kushigalu
What a flavor packed beef stew recipe this was. My whole family loved it. Thanks for sharing.
Candice
I'm so glad you all liked it!
Natalie
I hadn't made beef stew in a while. This recipe was absolutely amazing. Love that you added turmeric. Must make this soon again, maybe for St.Patrick's would be perfect. Thanks!
Candice
I'm so glad you liked it and want to make it again... enjoy! And thanks for sharing 🙂
Jacqueline
It's really cold here in Northern Italy at the moment so I'm planning on this stew for again tomorrow. It was so warming and comforting when I made it last week. Perfect cold weather food!
Candice
That makes me so happy to hear, Jacqueline... enjoy!
Kate
The red wine and spices in this beef stew worked so well together! Absolutely delicious!
Candice
So glad you liked it, Kate!
Amy Liu Dong
Wow, this looks really delicious! Such a perfect stew to eat during this cold weather.
Candice
I hope you give it a try, Amy!
Kerri
These flavors make for the perfect cozy comfort meal! Perfect for our Sunday family dinners!
Candice
Glad you liked it, Kerri!
Beth
This is a gorgeous stew yet with such simple ingredients. The wine gives a rich color to everything - it's just mouthwatering.
Candice
Glad to hear it, Beth.. thanks for sharing!
Heather
The snow is coming down outside and nothing sounded better than having a big bowl of this stew! Couldn't wait to make this dish and it was exactly what I wanted!
Candice
Yay! So glad to hear it, Heather.
Dana
Red wine really brings out an amazing flavor in this stew. This recipe is a keeper!
Candice
Yay! So glad you liked it, Dana.
Marta
I loved how simple beef stew was to make, but that it also resulted in one of the most flavorful dishes I've eaten in a long while.
Candice
That makes me so happy to hear, Marta! Thanks for sharing 🙂