(No Peek) Oven Beef Stew

The season of cozy is upon us. Bring on the comfort food! This (No Peek) Oven Beef Stew recipe is comfort food in the truest sense of the word. It sticks to your ribs and it’s perfect on chilly nights. Beef, onion, carrots, and red wine come together in cozy harmony through slow cooking. Serve the mouthwatering stew on top of creamy mashed potatoes or polenta and garnish with fresh parsley. It’s sure to be a new family favorite this fall and winter seasons.

Find the full recipe at the end of this post.

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Low and Slow

Any recipe where you throw the ingredients into a pot and then forget about it for several hours is a “keeper” in my book. Whether it’s Easy Slow Cooker Carnitas or Mama’s Homemade Split Pea Soup. I’m all about easy! This beef stew recipe was handed down to me by my mama. In her notes on the recipe card, it says, “Put it in the oven and forget it!” To that, I say, “Yes, ma’am!” 

What makes this beef stew so tender and delicious is that it’s cooked low and slow. Once all the ingredients are put in a Dutch oven and it’s covered, it cooks in the oven at 250 degrees for 5 hours. Cooking beef on low heat for several hours is the best way to retain all the natural juices of the meat. It also makes the meat much more flavorful.

Ingredients in Oven Beef Stew

• Stew Beef
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onion
• Beefy Mushroom condensed soup (I use Cambell’s.)
• Dry red wine (You can also substitute water or beef broth.)
• Salt and pepper
• Tapioca flour
• Fresh Rosemary sprigs
• Bay leaf
• Breadcrumbs

There are no potatoes in this oven beef stew. Why, you ask? Honestly, I have no idea. My mama never put potatoes in it. However, she did serve it over creamy mashed potatoes which I’ve always loved. Recently, I tried serving it over creamy grits, or polenta. It was also fabulous served that way!

How to Make (No Peek) Oven Beef Stew

Lightly grease a large Dutch oven or casserole dish with butter or cooking spray. Mix all the ingredients together (except for the breadcrumbs and rosemary). Pour them into the Dutch oven or casserole dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake covered at 250 degrees for 5 hours. Do not remove the lid while the stew is cooking.

The Secret to Oven Beef Stew

Cooking this oven beef stew at a low temperature for several hours is very important to achieve the best outcome. However, the real secret to this dish is: no peeking. Allowing the ingredients to marry in the covered pot without steam escaping or air getting inside makes this beef stew the best I’ve ever had. I think you will love it too. Be sure to let me know in the comments below!

This (no peek) oven beef stew is perfect on a fall or winter day. The delicious aroma fills the kitchen and warms the house. It is also a wonderful way to warm the bellies and the hearts of the ones you love. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do here on the farm. 

Yield: 4-6 servings

(No Peek) Oven Beef Stew

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes

This (No Peek) Oven Beef Stew recipe is comfort food in the truest sense of the word. It sticks to your ribs and it’s perfect on chilly nights. Beef, onion, carrots, and red wine come together in cozy harmony through slow cooking. Serve the mouthwatering stew on top of creamy mashed potatoes or polenta and garnish with fresh parsley. It’s sure to be a new family favorite this fall and winter seasons.

 

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 pounds stew beef
• 6-8 carrots, cleaned and cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (10.5 oz.) can Beefy Mushroom condensed soup
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
• Bay leaf
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped (Garnish)

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

• 2 pounds Russet potatoes
• 1 cup whipping cream or whole milk (I always use cream.)
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Lightly grease a large Dutch oven or casserole dish with butter.
2. Mix all the ingredients together (except for the breadcrumbs). Pour them into the Dutch oven or casserole dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.
3. Bake covered at 250 degrees for 5 hours. Do not remove the lid while the stew is cooking…this is the secret!

For the Creamy Mashed Potatoes

• Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook partially covered until easily pierced with a knife (boil 20-25 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes).

• Drain the potatoes and then transfer them to a bowl. Using an electric mixer, begin to break up the potatoes. Add the cream/milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste and continue to mix until creamy or the desired consistency.

Serve the beef stew warm over a bed of potatoes (or polenta). Garnish with fresh chopped parsley (and a small sprig of Rosemary).

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