Rustic Beef Stew Recipe
This quick and hearty beef stew strikes the perfect balance between sticking to your ribs and warming your belly on a cold autumn or winter night, and keeping you full without weighing you down. The broth naturally thickens up with a little cooking time but no extra thickeners are added, putting a lighter twist on this classic dish.
I love me a good stew. As soon as colder weather rolls around, I turn to warm, stick-to-your-ribs meals that are full of flavour and nutrition to feed my family and offer comfort during the dark, cold nights of fall and winter.
When it comes to stew, you can be pretty creative with the ingredients you add. You can use beef (like in this dish), lamb, chicken or fish. Add vegetables: onions, potatoes and carrots are usually staples, but peas, green beans, celery, turnips, tomatoes, garlic and greens like spinach and kale can easily add flavour and nutrition to stews. Season with salt, pepper and herbs of your choice.
This particular dish combines some of the classics: beef, onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, rosemary, thyme, a bay leaf and salt & pepper to taste. Peas or green beans would be a great addition as well if you have them on hand.
Quick & Easy Homemade Beef Stew
Start with 2 lbs. of stewing beef, cut into small, bite-sized chunks. You can either purchase stew meat already cut up (although I usually cut the pieces even smaller), or get your hands on a chuck roast and cut it up into bite-sized cubes.
Next prepare your vegetables. Cut one onion into eight wedges and set aside. You want to keep this dish rustic, so avoid dicing onions too small. Cutting veggies into larger chunks is the way to go.
Likewise, take one good sized head of garlic and separate and peel the cloves. You should end up with about six to eight whole cloves of garlic in the end. Put these aside. Keep the garlic cloves whole!
Peel five or six medium to large sized carrots (or wash and scrub thoroughly if you choose not to peel), and slice into thick rounds. I slice mine into roughly 1/2-inch thick rounds. You want them to be bite-sized but not too thin. The broth in this dish is on the lighter side but the ingredients themselves should still be thick and hearty.
*Pro tip: Keep the onion, garlic and carrot peels and throw them in a bag in the freezer. Add scraps and peels to your stockpot when making bone broth for extra flavour and nutrition.
Scrub your potatoes really well and dice them into bite-sized pieces roughly the same size as your meat. You can peel them if you like, but I find leaving the skins on adds to that rustic feel.
Now it’s time to start cooking.
Options for Cooking Stew
You could cook this stew in a slow cooker or an instant pot (so I hear), but I prefer the traditional method of cooking on the stovetop (or on top of your wood stove) in a large cast iron dutch oven.
Personally I use an enamelled cast iron dutch oven similar to this one from Lodge, but you could also use a more traditional straight up cast iron dutch oven like this one. I like the enamelled one because it cleans up nicely, although all cast iron is easy to clean if it is well seasoned and you follow a few simple rules.
In addition, the beauty of cast iron is that it can be used on the stovetop, in the oven, on your wood stove or even over an open flame if cooking outside, so if you’re off-grid or thinking of going off-grid, cast iron is incredibly versatile and ensures you can always cook up a meal whether you have electricity or not!
Technically you can cook a stew in a stainless steel pot if that’s all you have. No one says you can’t! But cast iron also heats evenly and therefore helps to cook your stew evenly and helps to prevent burning.
Step-by-Step Beef Stew Recipe
First, brown your meat. Melt a knob of butter (or a couple tablespoons of olive oil) in your pot on high heat. Then toss cubed meat in your pot and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Brown meat on all sides (a couple minutes per side on high heat should suffice). Don’t worry too much about getting every single cube of meat turned and cooked on all sides. If you miss a side it will all cook through in your stew anyway.
Next, add all of your other ingredients: onions, whole garlic cloves, potatoes and carrots. Cover with 4 cups of water and give it a stir to combine the ingredients.
Then add your herbs. I always throw in bay leaf to all my soup and stews, so if you have one on hand, go ahead and toss it in. Then take a couple large sprigs of fresh rosemary and remove the needles. Toss them right into the pot. Do the same thing with the thyme.
Sprinkle in another pinch or two of salt and stir everything together once more.
Once the water starts bubbling, turn the heat down to medium low and put the lid on. Simmer for about an hour, adjusting the temperature from medium low to low as needed and stirring every 15 to 20 minutes or so. Always put the lid back when finished stirring).
As for adjusting the temperature, you want you stew to be at a low simmer while cooking, so check it every once in a while and adjust temperature as needed. If it looks like its too hot and bubbling too much, turn it right down to low. If it’s not simmering at all maybe turn it up just slightly.
After about an hour, taste your stew to quality check it. The meat should be tender and easy to chew. The carrots and potatoes should also be tender and the broth should be rich and flavourful. Use your discretion. If you think it needs a few more minutes, give it a few more. You really can’t cook a stew too long, aside from the fact that your veggies might get a little too soft. And if you think it needs a little extra salt or herbs, go ahead and throw them in. Everybody’s tastes are a little different so adjust according to what you like best.
When the meat is tender and your beef stew is ready, serve hot in soup bowls with a side of biscuits or crunchy bread. This Easy No-Knead Homemade Bread makes a great accompaniment to this stew. Cut it into thick slices and slather them with butter and you have a quintessential hearty, cold-weather meal ready to go!
This is also a great meal to have extra of in the fridge over the busy holiday season as it makes a quick and filling meal that tastes just as good reheated as it does fresh-made. Or make extra to put in the freezer for an easy weeknight meal! Just remember to defrost first (or get an Instapot to cook it right from its frozen state… Okay, do I need one of these???)
Sure, you could spend all day making a fancy stew with a long list of ingredients, but after you try this quick and hearty beef stew, you’ll be reminded that simplicity is often the best ingredient.
Eat up!
Quick & Hearty Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. stewing beef (cubed)
- 5-6 medium carrots, peeled or washed well and sliced thick
- 4-5 medium potatoes, washed and cubed
- 2 or 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 or 3 sprigs of thyme
- One Bay leaf
- One medium head of garlic, peeled and broken into cloves
- One medium to large onion, cut into wedges
- ¼ cup of butter (or olive oil if you're avoiding dairy)
- 4 cups of beef broth (or water)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter or heat oil in a large dutch oven or stockpot over high heat. Add beef, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and cook for about 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently until meat is browned on all sides.
- Add onions, garlic cloves, carrots and potatoes and stir well to combine. Cover with water and stir well to combine.
- Add herbs (remove needles and leaves from rosemary and thyme), bay leaf and a little more salt and cracked pepper for flavour. Stir to combine once more.
- Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Allow stew to simmer for about an hour, checking every 15 to 20 minutes or so to stir and adjust temperature if needed.
- Serve hot with biscuits or a piece of crusty bread.
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It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
• Grow your own groceries
• Stock your pantry
• Create a natural home
• Get prepared
• Learn other important life skills like time management for homesteaders, goal setting and how to become your own handyman
And more!
If you’ve been feeling called to level up your self-reliance skills (because let’s be honest, we’re in for a wild ride these next few years with everything going on in the world), now is the time to heed that call.
Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
#homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homesteadingskills #preparedness
There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#foodsecurity #homegrownfood #homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homegrownfoodjusttastesbetter
If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
🌿 Natural Living and Herbal Medicine Mastery: Discover the secrets to creating a low-tox home and and to growing, making and using herbal remedies to support your family’s health, naturally.
🔨 Essential Life Skills: Learn essential life skills like time management, effective goal setting and practical DIY skills to become more self-sufficient.
As a member, you’ll enjoy:
📚 Monthly Video Lessons: Gain access to our ever-growing library of video lessons, with fresh content added each month.
📞 Live Group Coaching Calls: Participate in our monthly live group coaching calls, where we deep dive into a different self-reliance topic every month, and do live demonstrations and Q&A’s.
🏡 Private Community: Join our private community forum where you can ask questions, share your progress, and connect with like-minded individuals.
I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#selfreliance #selfreliant #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #sustainableliving #modernhomesteading #homesteadingskills #preparedness
Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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#garlic #garlicharvest #homesteading #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #selfreliance #homegrown #groworganic #growfoodnotlawns #gardenersofinstagram #homesteadersofinstagram
Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #selfsufficiency
If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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Whether you live in the city and grow a few herbs on your balcony, have a few backyard chickens in the suburbs or live in the country and have a larder full of enough home-canned food to survive the apocalypse, if living a more homemade, homegrown, self-sufficient lifestyle is important to you, Modern Homesteading Magazine was made for you!
Read it today through the link in my bio!
https://modernhomesteadingmagazine.com/
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This radish top pesto recipe makes good use of the edible radish greens that often get discarded once they’re separated from the root. The end result is a peppery, slightly spicy twist on a classic pesto recipe.
A perfect condiment for all your summer snacking!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/radish-top-pesto-recipe/
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