Dutch Oven Beef Stew

Step 1

Heat oven to 300°F/150°C.

Step 2

Place beef cubes in large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper; add 2 tablespoons of the flour to the bowl and toss to coat.

Step 3

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in large Dutch oven or oven-safe stockpot; add beef to pot in two separate batches and brown meat on all sides, adding remaining tablespoon of oil as needed. Remove meat from the pot and set aside.

Step 4

Add onions and celery to the pot, and sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 5

Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté for about bout 30 seconds longer.

Step 6

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 3-4 minutes.

Step 7

Stir in the remaining flour and tomato paste, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 8

Add the sherry, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to the pot. Add beef stock, bay leaves, and parsley stems; bring to a boil.

Step 9

Mix in the browned meat; season with salt and pepper return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; cook 2 hours.

Step 10

Prepare and cut the potatoes and carrots. Carefully remove the pot from the from oven, stir in the potatoes, carrots, and parsley leaves cover, and return to oven.

Step 11

Bake until meat is tender, about 1 hour. Remove the stew from oven, discard the bay leaves, and skim off any fat that may have formed on the surface. Taste for seasoning, and add salt as needed before serving.