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Meat, Busy evenings

Beef and carrot stew with steamed potatoes

Beef and carrot stew with steamed potatoes is a French braised dish for 4 people, ready in 165 minutes, rated easy, and costing €3.00 per person. The key to success is a long, very gentle simmer that softens the chuck beef and concentrates the flavor of the sauce. The steamed potatoes, cooked with their skins on, soak up the sauce without overpowering it.

Tonight or this weekend, a beef and carrot stew that simmers gently, tender, melting, and even better reheated the next day, with steamed potatoes.

Beef and carrot stew with steamed potatoes
Total time
2 h 45
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
490 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Beef and carrot stew is the kind of dish where the meat falls apart with a fork and the brown sauce coats the potatoes without any extra effort. The chuck beef, simmered slowly over very low heat, turns meltingly tender, while the carrots keep a bit of bite because they join the pot later in the cooking. White wine and tomato paste give the sauce a quiet depth, without ever covering up the flavor of the meat.

It's a dish for relaxed Sundays, when the pot can simmer away while you do something else, and for weeknights if you made it the day before. Kids love it for the tender meat and the simple steamed potatoes. Mon Chou suggests making it ahead of time, the sauce thickens and the flavor gets better from one day to the next.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef chuck or shoulder 1 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 8
  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Thyme 4 sprigs
  • Firm fleshed potatoes 800 g

Pantry

  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Beef brothoften in the pantry 50 cl
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2 leaves
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the beef into large cubes, season with salt and pepper, then brown it in the oil in batches. 12 min

    Brown without crowding the pan, the meat sears instead of boiling.

  2. Add the sliced onions, garlic and tomato paste, let them caramelize, then deglaze with the white wine. 8 min

    Cook the tomato paste for one minute, it loses its sharpness.

  3. Pour in the broth, add the thyme and bay leaves, and let it simmer covered over very low heat. 1 h 30

    The liquid should barely tremble, that keeps the meat tender.

  4. Add the carrots cut into chunks and continue cooking. 40 min

    Add the carrots in the second half of cooking so they don't fall apart.

  5. Steam the potatoes, then serve them alongside the beef and its sauce. 20 min

    Leave the skin on, it protects the potatoes while they cook.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a braising cut with a bit of fat, like chuck or shoulder, it turns out juicier than a lean cut after two hours of cooking.
  • Check the meat with a fork before adding the carrots, it should already pull apart easily under light pressure.
  • Keep the lid on throughout the simmer and never turn up the heat, a hard boil toughens the meat instead of softening it.

The variations

  • Swap the white wine for extra broth if you'd rather cook without alcohol, it still tastes good even if the sauce is a touch less fragrant.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the beef with large chunks of button mushrooms and parsnips, and cut the simmering time to 30 minutes.
  • To save time on a weeknight, use a pressure cooker, the simmering time drops to about 35 minutes instead of 90.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • A simple green salad
  • A glass of light red wine

Storage

This stew keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, and freezes well for up to 3 months in a suitable container. Reheat it gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you make beef and carrot stew ahead of time?

Yes, it's even better that way. The sauce thickens as it cools and the meat soaks up more flavor from the thyme and bay leaf overnight.

What cut of beef works if you don't have chuck?

Shoulder works just as well, it holds up the same way during a long simmer. Avoid lean cuts like tenderloin, they'd dry out after two hours of cooking.

Can you serve mashed potatoes instead of steamed potatoes?

Yes, homemade mashed potatoes soak up the stew's sauce beautifully. Just plan for a bit more prep time than with steamed potatoes.

Does this stew freeze well?

Yes, it holds up very well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze the beef and sauce separately from the potatoes, which don't freeze as well.

How long does it take to make a beef and carrot stew with steamed potatoes?

Count 2 h 45 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a beef and carrot stew with steamed potatoes?

About 490 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a beef and carrot stew with steamed potatoes cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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