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Red Wine Braised Beef Stew

Red Wine Braised Beef Stew reads umami 9.2, richness 7.6 and salinity 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a French main, about 3 hr 40 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 10.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 9.2 · Richness 7.6 · Salinity 5.0 · Allium 3.6 · Smoke 3.2 · Sweetness 3.1 · Fruity 2.8 · Sourness 2.8 · Earthy 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Floral 1.6 · Herbaceous 1.4 · Bitterness 1.3 · Warm Spice 1.2 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (16)

• bacon — 170 g
• boneless beef chuck roast — 1361 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• all-purpose flour — 15 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• carrots — 120 g
• garlic — 12 g
• tomato paste — 30 g
• dry red wine — 750 g
• beef broth — 473 g
• bay — 2 g
• thyme — 2 g
• pearl onions — 454 g
• cremini mushrooms — 454 g
• unsalted butter — 27 g

Time & effort: about 3 hr 40 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 146.4 kcal, 11.6 g protein, 7.8 g fat, 5.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Pat the beef dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon lardons over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat is rendered, 6-8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
2. Working in two or three batches so you don't crowd the pot, sear the beef in the bacon fat until deeply browned on all sides, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer each batch to a plate as it finishes.
3. Add the onion and carrots to the pot and sauté until the onion is softened and lightly golden at the edges, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly, about 1 minute.
4. Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the broth, bay leaves, thyme, and the browned beef with any collected juices and the reserved bacon. Bring to a simmer.
5. Cover the pot and transfer to a 325 F oven (or keep on the stovetop at the barest simmer). Braise until the beef is fork-tender and pulls apart easily, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
6. While the stew braises, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pearl onions and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until browned and glazed, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
7. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook, stirring only occasionally, until deeply browned, 6-7 minutes. Add to the bowl with the onions.
8. When the beef is tender, remove the pot from the oven. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, then skim any excess fat from the surface with a large spoon.
9. Stir the glazed pearl onions and browned mushrooms into the stew. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens slightly to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes.
10. Taste and add more salt if needed, then ladle into bowls to serve.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Beef Bourguignon — French
• Beef Potjiekos — South African · Boerekos
• Rinderroulade (Beef Roulades) — German
• Guinness Beef Stew with Pearl Onions — Irish
• Classic Beef Bolognese with Tagliatelle — Italian

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.