I hate chunky beef stew so much that I’m just going to say it. I know it might be controversial.
Because as a child I was served too many pot roasts with dry meat and soggy vegetables (sorry Mom!). Unfortunately beef stew became associated with bad food and was put in the “hard pass” recipe group for a long time.
Happy to say we found a solution! The ingredients in my Stove Top Beef Stew are not only easy to eat with a spoon (don’t use knives, pot roast!), but they also melt in your mouth. This beef stew is more like a gravy with beef and vegetables that you can pour over a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes.
Get ready to swap out your old beef stew recipe for this one, which is cooked on the stove instead of in the oven!
Making a delicious beef stew starts with choosing the right cut of meat. For beef stew, chuck meat is the best choice. This cut comes from the shoulder area and contains a good amount of connective tissue. That connective tissue needs time to break down during cooking to make the meat tender.
If you don’t cook the chuck meat long enough it will be tough and chewy. No one wants that in their beef stew! So how long do you need to cook beef stew meat to make it tender? Follow this guide to get perfectly tender beef stew meat every time.
Choosing the Right Cut is Key
Chuck roast or chuck steak are ideal cuts to use for beef stew meat. Chuck comes from the shoulder area of the cow. This area gets a lot of exercise so the meat contains more connective tissue. Connective tissue is made up of collagen.
When collagen is cooked for a long period of time, it begins to break down into gelatin Gelatin gives beef stew that rich, mouth-coating texture It’s what makes the stew so satisfying.
Cuts like chuck that have a good amount of collagen are considered “tough” cuts. Choosing a tough cut is important for getting tender beef stew meat. More tender cuts like sirloin won’t have as much connective tissue and won’t end up as tender after long cooking.
Low and Slow Cooking
To get tender beef stew meat, cooking it “low and slow” is key. Low temperature, slow cooking allows time for the collagen in the meat to convert to gelatin. Here are cooking details:
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Temperature: Cook the beef stew at a low simmer, around 300°F. High heat will cause the meat to get tough.
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Time: Cook for at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The longer cooking time gives the collagen more time to break down.
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Liquid: Make sure the meat is mostly submerged in liquid while cooking. Braising in liquid helps break down connective tissue.
With the right temperature, time, and amount of liquid, the chuck meat will become fall-apart tender. The liquefied collagen adds rich flavor and texture.
Tips for Maximizing Tenderness
Follow these tips to get the most tender beef stew meat:
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Cut meat into 1-inch chunks. Smaller pieces have more surface area, allowing seasonings to penetrate and collagen to break down more efficiently.
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Sear the meat first. Browning the meat before stewing adds deeper flavor. Just don’t cook so long that the meat starts to get tough.
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Use an acidic cooking liquid. Wine, tomatoes, vinegar, etc help tenderize meat. Acid helps break down collagen.
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Add collagen-rich ingredients. Gelatinous cuts like oxtail, short ribs, or chicken feet add even more collagen to break down.
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Let it rest. Once cooked, let the stew rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows juices to redistribute so meat stays moist.
Testing Doneness
How can you tell when the beef is tender enough? Use these tests:
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A fork or knife should slide through a piece of meat with little resistance.
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Try pulling apart a piece of meat. It should easily separate into strands showing broken down muscle fibers.
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Take a bite. The meat should feel moist and tender, not chewy. Any gristle or hard bits means it needs more time.
When in doubt, cook it a bit longer. More time usually means more tenderness. Just keep the heat low to avoid overcooking.
Sample Cooking Times
To give you an idea of cooking times, here are some approximate stew cooking durations for beef chuck:
- Cubes: 1-inch chunks need at least 2 hours. Can cook up to 3 hours.
- Large chunks: 2 to 3-inch pieces may need 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- Whole roast: Allow 3 1/2 to 4 hours for a 3 to 4 pound chuck roast.
The exact time will vary based on the specific cut, meat thickness, cooking equipment, etc. Check doneness along the way and adjust cooking time as needed.
Oven or Stovetop Methods
You can braise beef stew meat on the stovetop or in the oven. Here are pointers for each:
On the stovetop:
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Use a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid like a Dutch oven. The thick, heavy pot helps retain heat.
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Cook over low heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Make sure stew doesn’t boil.
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Check and stir the stew occasionally and add more liquid if needed.
In the oven:
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Bake stew in a Dutch oven or heavy casserole dish covered tightly with foil or a lid.
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Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake stew on a low rack.
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No need to stir during oven braising. Check once halfway through.
Both stovetop and oven methods work well. The oven frees up burner space and doesn’t require watching. The stovetop gives more control over adjusting temperature.
Cooking in a Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
For hands-free simmering, a slow cooker is perfect for beef stew. Use a large slow cooker and fill at least halfway. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
A pressure cooker cuts the cooking time significantly. Cook stew meat for 20-30 minutes under high pressure. The meat should be fall-apart tender.
Tips for Leftover Stew
One bonus of beef stew is leftovers! Here are tips for keeping leftover stew tasty:
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Let stew cool completely before refrigerating. Divide into shallow containers so it chills quickly.
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Refrigerate within 2 hours. Reheat within 3-4 days.
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Skim solidified fat before reheating. Add a bit of broth if stew seems dry.
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Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot throughout.
With proper storage and reheating, beef stew keeps well for several days. The meat and flavors even improve as they continue to meld!
Achieving Tender, Flavorful Beef Stew
Now you know that cooking beef chuck “low and slow” is the secret to getting meat that’s fall-apart tender in beef stew. Approximate cooking time is 1 1/2 to 2 hours for stew meat cubes. Use flavor boosting tips like searing, acidic liquids, collagen-rich ingredients, and proper resting time for the best results.
With this guide, you can feel confident your beef stew meat will turn out perfectly tender. That means you can enjoy big bowls of hearty, comforting beef stew all season long!
Do You Simmer Beef Stew With the Lid ON or OFF?
Take off the lid after two hours and let the food cook slowly for another one and a half hours, or until the meat is soft and the sauce has thickened. Again, we’re going for a gravy-ish consistency.
Simmering the stew with the lid ON allows the connective tissues in the beef to break down. Taking off the lid and continuing to simmer with it off lets the beef finish cooking down and makes the broth thicker.
In the last step, stir in the frozen peas and heat the stew until it’s hot. Serve the beef stew over mashed potatoes. While making it yourself is great (try adding sour cream to your favorite recipe—it changes everything!), many store-bought options, like Simply Potatoes, are also very tasty and easy to use.
Do I Have to Brown the Meat for Beef Stew?
Of course, if you were making beef stew with big chunks of roast, you would want to brown them first before simmering or braising them. But because the beef in this recipe is cut so small, all you have to do is sauté the vegetables in the Dutch oven before baking it.
One less step, FTW!
How to Get Stew Meat Tender : Cooking Meat
FAQ
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