Craig Claiborne's Beef Stew

By Craig Claiborne

Published December 5, 1987

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating
4(3,954)
Comments
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It would be hard to find a simpler meal than Mr. Claiborne’s hearty beef stew, which goes beautifully with buttered noodles and a stout glass of red wine. (Or, for the children, a glass of milk.) A small scattering of cloves adds a floral note to the gravy, augmented by just a little thyme, and the combination pairs beautifully with the carrots you add near the end of the cooking process, to prevent them from going mushy in the heat. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the finished dish, of course, a nod to the past that rewards in beauty and flavor alike.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

  • 4 pounds lean, boneless chuck steak

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

  • 2 cups coarsely chopped onions

  • 6 tablespoons flour

  • 4 cups dry red wine

  • 2 cups water

  • 4 whole cloves

  • 1 bay leaf

  • ½ teaspoon thyme

  • 6 sprigs parsley, tied in a bundle

  • 6 large carrots, about 1 ½ pounds, trimmed and scraped

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

21 grams carbs; 154 milligrams cholesterol; 753 calories; 23 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 45 grams fat; 2 grams trans fat; 4 grams fiber; 1273 milligrams sodium; 45 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cut the meat into two-inch cubes.

  2. Step 2

    Using a large skillet, heat the oil and add the beef cubes in one layer. Add salt and pepper and cook, stirring and turning the pieces often, for about 10 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat the meat evenly.

  4. Step 4

    Add the wine and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the water. Add the cloves, bay leaf, thyme and parsley. Cover closely and simmer for one hour.

  5. Step 5

    Meanwhile, cut the carrots into one-inch lengths. If the pieces are very large, cut them in half lengthwise. Add them to the beef. Cover and continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Serve the stew sprinkled with chopped parsley.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
3,954 user ratings
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Comments

Eli

This worked out very nicely for me. After reading through all the comments, I made the following changes to the base recipe:
* I used 3 cups of wine (cab sauv) and 1 cup of beef stock
* I let the alcohol burn off for quite a while (maybe 15+ mins)
* I roasted some mushrooms and added them when I added the water
* I cooked the whole thing about 30-60 mins longer than directed
* I added potatoes when there was 30 mins left
* I added some extra thyme at the very end
* I served with a nice bread.

Barbara

So, basically a completely different recipe... ;)

Glen

Some differences of opinion here -- nothing wrong with that...

BUT... I'm amused that this recipe calls for 4 lbs. of meat cut in 2" chunks... and then put in A SINGLE LAYER in a pan that can later be covered. Good lord, how large is this pan? I used a monsterous 14" skillet (no lid...) and it STILL wasn't large enough. Me thinks that no one is proofing the writing here!

Park Slope

Made this during the Great Blizzard of Feb 2026. It hit the spot on a cold snowy night. I added some tomato paste plus potatoes, mushrooms and peas in addition to carrot. Took about two hours to cook. Worthwhile!

Grant

Easy, fast, and good. Like everybody, it seems, I made it my own. First of all, I only had1 1/4 lbs of stew meat. Others used a Dutch oven, but I used my 5 1/2 qt rondeau. I had no red wine so I used beer and chicken stock. I didn't think one hour was enough, so I let it stew for nearly four hours. Finally, I threw in a handful of egg noodles for fun. Delicious!

For Gluten Free option

I only had 2.5 cups of wine and used stock for the rest. It was still really good. I added potatoes and barley as well but mostly to satisfy my family. I like the simplicity of this recipe.

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