This classic French beef stew is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. The meat melts in your mouth after a few hours in the oven, and a rich wine sauce covers it.
Over 4,000 people have given this classic French beef stew 5 stars, making it my most popular recipe of all time. It is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. The beef is seared in a hot pan and then slowly cooked with onions and garlic in a rich wine-based broth. After being in the oven for a few hours, the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender and covered in a sauce that tastes great. It takes a few hours to make, but the recipe is mostly hands-off. You can make it a day or two ahead of time; the taste gets better as it sits.
Beef stew is a beloved comfort food enjoyed around the world. This hearty dish often consists of beef, vegetables like carrots and potatoes, and a savory broth. While traditional recipes don’t call for added sugar some cooks like to add a touch of sweetness to balance out the rich meaty flavors. So can you put sugar in beef stew? Let’s take a closer look.
How Sugar Affects Beef Stew
Adding a small amount of sugar can enhance the flavor of beef stew in a few ways
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It balances out the savory flavors from the beef broth, meat, and vegetables. A bit of sweetness rounds things out.
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Sugar helps cut through some of the acidity from tomatoes or red wine often used in beef stew recipes. This results in a mellower, more harmonious flavor.
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Caramelizing the sugar briefly before adding the broth can boost the richness and depth of flavor.
However, too much sugar will make beef stew one-dimensional and candy-like. The key is using a delicate hand and adding just enough to provide a hint of sweetness in the background.
Best Sweeteners for Beef Stew
While plain granulated white sugar will work, there are other sweeteners that pair particularly well with hearty beef stew:
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Brown sugar – The subtle molasses notes in brown sugar are perfect in beef stew. Sprinkle in a teaspoon or two once the broth is added.
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Honey – A drizzle of floral honey mixed into the stew brings out the savory flavors. Plus, the honey gives the broth a beautiful gloss.
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Maple syrup – With its rich caramel-like taste, a bit of maple syrup makes beef stew even cozier. Add a tablespoon or so at the end.
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Cinnamon – A pinch of cinnamon is another way to add warmth and a subtle sweetness. Add just a pinch to the stew spices.
How Much Sugar to Use in Beef Stew
Beef stew recipes make large batches, often 4-6 servings. With such a large volume of broth and meat, you don’t need much added sugar at all. Here are some guidelines:
- 1-2 teaspoons of brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon of molasses
- Just a pinch of cinnamon
- 1-2 teaspoons of jam, jelly, marmalade, or preserves
Start with just a teaspoon. You can always stir in a bit more at the very end if you want more sweetness after tasting the finished stew. It’s easy to overdo it, so go slowly.
When to Add the Sweetener
Beef stew contains multiple steps, from searing the meat to simmering the broth. When you add your sweetener can impact how it enhances the dish:
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During cooking – Stirring in a bit of brown sugar or honey while the stew simmers infuses everything with subtle sweetness. However, the flavor mellows quite a bit over the long cooking time.
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After cooking – Waiting until the stew is done and adding a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or molasses right before serving better preserves that little punch of sweetness.
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To thicken – Making a quick slurry with cornstarch and brown sugar, honey, or molasses, then stirring it in at the end both thickens the broth and sweetens the stew.
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For serving – Offering jam, jelly, honey, etc. at the table allows folks to sweeten their bowl of stew to their own taste.
Tips for the Best Sweetened Beef Stew
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Don’t use granulated white sugar. It provides sweetness but no added flavor. Brown sugar, honey, maple syrup and the like better complement beef stew.
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Add sweeteners in small amounts. Beef stew does not require much added sweetness.
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Taste and adjust at the very end. You can always add a bit more honey if needed.
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Balance savory and sweet. If the stew seems too sweet, accentuate the savory notes with a splash of vinegar or Worcestershire sauce.
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Try a touch of citrus. A squeeze of orange or lemon brightens the flavor and cuts through the richness.
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Let spices shine. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg complement the sweet and savory flavors.
With just a teaspoon or two of the right sweetener, you can take your beef stew’s flavor up a notch! Adjust to your taste, and enjoy this comforting classic made even better with a subtle touch of sweetness.
How To Make Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes
Start by cutting off any big chunks of fat that are easy to reach, like the one my knife is pointing to below. But don’t trim too much, because the fat is what makes the beef tender.
Next, season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a bit of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot and brown the meat in batches.
This step is a bit time-consuming but browning the meat adds depth and dimension to the stew. (Note: Don’t put too much meat in the pan at once. If you do, it will steam instead of sear, and you won’t get all that great color and flavor.) ).
Remove the meat and add the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar to the pan. The vinegar will loosen all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and add flavor.
Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more.
Add the beef back into the pan and sprinkle with the flour.
Stir until the flour is dissolved.
Add the wine, broth, water, thyme, bay leaves, and sugar.
Bring to a boil, then cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, add the carrots and potatoes.
Put it back in the oven and cook for another hour, or until the meat is very tender, the broth is thick, and the potatoes and carrots are soft.
Feel free to adapt the recipe to your liking. You can leave out the potatoes and serve it over egg noodles buttered with butter. At the very end, you can add frozen peas or mushrooms that have been cook. Either way, it’s soul-satisfying comfort food for a cold night.
what you’ll need to make beef stew with carrots & potatoes
The most important thing is to start with the right cut of meat. Well-marbled chuck roast is what you want to buy. It should have a lot of white fat veins running through it. Stay away from meat that is just labeled “stew meat,” especially if it looks lean. No matter how long you cook it, it will not get tender.
For the wine, use any dry red (Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. ) that is inexpensive but still good enough to drink.
The BEST Beef Stew Recipe – Hundreds of 5-Star Reviews!!
FAQ
Should you add sugar to stew?
How to add sweetness to beef stew?
What gives beef stew the best flavor?
Can I put sugar in beef?
How do you make a good beef stew?
Now add the beef back, along with any juices, the bacon, the porcini mushrooms AND its broth, beef bone broth, anchovy paste, and a bundle of fresh thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf: Anchovy paste might sound strange, but it adds a wonderful umami and saltiness that really deepens the flavor of the stew.
Can you add chocolate to beef stew?
Another unexpected ingredient to add more flavor to beef stew is cacao or cocoa, like in Sandra Lee’s beef stew with chocolate recipe. Whether you choose to sprinkle in some cacao powder or melt a few squares of dark chocolate, this bean adds an intense, rich (and maybe sweet) essence to your beef stew. It can also help thicken the stew up a bit.
Can You Put garlic in beef stew?
If you’re new to garlic, toss a clove or two in with your beef stew to give it a try. If you’re a garlic veteran, then you already know how much you want to use. Just leave the cloves whole and add them in along with your other ingredients — you can stop mincing garlic for stew. 9. Onions
How do you cook a beef stew in a crock pot?
In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add beef stew meat, and sear until all sides are browned, about 5 minutes Add in minced garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Pour in the beef broth and worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan. Add red potatoes, pearl onions, carrots, and celery.