3 Potato Beef Stew

So I bit the bullet and finally got the Le Creuset Dutch Oven I have been wanting for years. They are VERY expensive, but also VERY AWESOME, and I simply could not go with one of the inferior competitors models. I figure that given the lifetime warranty, it is the sort of thing you buy once, so it is worth the price tag. Not to mention it looks SWEET sitting on your stove.


So the first thing that came to mind to cook in it was Beef Stew. On the recommendation of the Italian Market Shopkeepers, I tried it using London Broil. The steak is relativly inexpensive, and it has a more even marbling of fat to keep it juicy and tender. I wanted to keep it fairly traditional, so I only added onions, potatoes and carrots. I got three kinds of gorgeous potatoes, small red, fingerling and purple potatoes. I cubed them, cut the carrots into discs, and cut the yellow onion into quarters.



I set the veggies aside, cubed my four pound steak, and threw it back in the bag with flour, salt and pepper. This gives it a good surface area for browning, and the flour will help thicken the sauce while it is cooking.


The browning does not take long, and after that, pull the meat out, and saute the veggies in the meat renderings. When you see the onions start to turn clear, pour in a Guinness, and add the meat, stirring. Add in some chicken or beef stock, cover and let the slow cooking commence.


I cooked this for about 4 hours on low heat. The stew really thickened up, thus distinguishing it from a soup. It was very tasty, earthy, smokey and tender. The London Broil is a cut I will definitely look to in the future for the many stews I plan on making over the winter.