Beef stew with carrots or oven-roasted carrots

Name: Beef stew with carrots or oven-roasted carrots - Patricia H.
Ingredients: For this recipe you need: 1 kg of beef; 300; 400 grams of carrots; a little olive oil; 2 large onions; beef stock; a tablespoon of flour; dark beer; a clove of garlic; 2 tablespoons of tomatoes in sauce; a bouquet garni (parsley; bay leaf; thyme); salt and freshly ground pepper.

Meat - Beef stew with carrots or oven-roasted carrots by Patricia H. - Recipia

Beef with oven-roasted carrots – Estouffade de boeuf aux carottes On cold days or when I have a bit more time on my hands, I enjoy cooking slow dishes that develop their flavor over several hours. Estouffade de boeuf aux carottes, which means beef with carrots in French style, is one of those recipes that transforms less expensive cuts of meat into a hearty dish. I've made it several times, always for relaxed family meals or with friends, and it is always appreciated for its final texture and concentrated sauce. Quick Info Total time: about 3 hours (ideally in two stages, see details below) Preparation time: 20-30 minutes Oven cooking time: 2.5-3 hours (can be split over two days) Servings: 5-6 Difficulty: medium Recipe type: main, rustic French style, for lunch or dinner Ingredients 1 kg beef (chuck, rib eye, or meat with little connective tissue) 300-400 g carrots 2 large onions a bit of olive oil (for sautéing) 1 tablespoon flour beef stock (enough to cover the meat) 1 bottle of brown beer (Pelforth or any dark beer) 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 clove of garlic 1 bouquet garni (parsley, bay leaf, thyme – tied or in a sachet) salt, freshly ground pepper Preparation method 1. Trim any excess fat from the meat if necessary, but do not completely remove the connective tissue, as it will soften during cooking. Cut the meat into suitable pieces, about 4-5 cm. 2. Wash, peel, and chop the onion. Peel the carrots, wash them, and cut them into thick rounds (or lengthwise, if you prefer). 3. In a large pot or heavy-bottomed pan, heat a bit of olive oil and sauté the onion along with the carrots. Sprinkle a little salt. Let the vegetables cook over medium-high heat until caramelized, achieving a deep color (do not burn them). Set them aside when done. 4. In the same pot, add the pieces of meat. Brown them well on all sides over fairly high heat. The meat should develop a brown crust, not just change color. 5. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the meat, mix quickly while still on the heat, then deglaze immediately with hot beef stock. A thin sauce will form at first. 6. Transfer the meat along with the formed sauce into an ovenproof dish, ideally cast iron with a lid. Place the sautéed vegetables on top of the meat. 7. Pour in enough beef stock to cover the meat. Add a bottle of brown beer. Season with salt and pepper, but don’t overdo it at first – you can adjust the taste at the end. 8. Add the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, the whole clove of garlic (or cut large), the bouquet garni, and a bit of dried thyme if you like. 9. Cover the dish and place it in the preheated oven at 200°C, on the middle rack. 10. Leave it like this for 1 hour, then reduce the temperature to 180°C. 11. Every 30-40 minutes, carefully take the dish out, check the liquid level, and stir gently to prevent the meat from sticking or drying out on the surface. If the sauce reduces too much before the end, add a bit more stock or hot water. 12. For 1 kg of meat, the total cooking time is about 3 hours. It’s best to cook in two stages: 2.5 hours on the first day, then cool completely, refrigerate the dish overnight, and the next day reheat in the oven for another 30 minutes at 180°C. The flavors intensify, and the result is more balanced. 13. In the end, the meat should be very tender, the sauce glossy and fairly thick, and the vegetables completely cooked through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Why I make the recipe often I love it because it uses affordable beef, transforming it into a dish with rich flavor and soft texture. It keeps well from one day to the next and is suitable for quiet meals when you don’t want to spend all day at the stove, but have time for slow cooking. Tips and variations Tips If you have a cast iron pot with a lid, use it – it distributes heat evenly and retains moisture. Don’t skip the browning step for the meat; it adds a lot of final flavor. Check the liquid in the pot from time to time to ensure it doesn’t run too low on sauce towards the end. Substitutions You can use other cuts of beef; there’s no need for anything expensive. If you don’t have beef stock, beef broth or even water with a bit of concentrate will work, but the flavor is deeper with real stock. If necessary, you can substitute brown beer with dry red wine, but it won’t have quite the same flavor. Variations If you like, you can add celery or parsnip for extra sweetness, but traditionally the recipe only goes with carrots. You can reduce the amount of beer if you prefer a less bitter sauce. If you prefer, you can do the entire process in one day, but the flavors won’t be as rounded as after a night in the fridge. Serving ideas I serve it with fresh bread, which absorbs the thick sauce. It also goes well with simple mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, or plain rice. It doesn’t need fancy side dishes. Frequently asked questions 1. What type of beef is suitable for this recipe? Any stew cuts can be used – chuck, rib eye, neck, or even meat with some connective tissue. The connective tissue will melt during slow cooking and give body to the sauce. 2. Can I use wine instead of brown beer? Yes, dry red wine can be used instead of beer, but the flavor will be different. Brown beer adds a sweet-bitter note specific to this type of estouffade. 3. What if the sauce is too thin at the end? Leave the pot uncovered in the last 15-20 minutes in the oven to reduce. Stir occasionally. If necessary, you can add a teaspoon of flour dissolved in cold water and incorporate it, but usually, that’s not needed. 4. Can I freeze beef estouffade? Yes, the dish freezes well. Allow it to cool completely before portioning it into freezer containers. It reheats slowly, over low heat or in the oven, with a bit of water or broth added if the sauce has thickened too much. 5. Can it be made entirely on the stovetop, not in the oven? Yes, it can also be cooked on the stovetop over very low heat in a covered pot, but it needs to be checked to prevent sticking. However, the sauce won’t have the same glossy appearance as after baking. Nutritional values Estimation for one serving (out of 6): approximately 450-500 kcal, 35-40 g protein, 20 g fat, 20-25 g carbohydrates. Values vary depending on the type of meat, how fatty it is, and how much sauce remains at the end. The recipe contains no dairy or gluten (except for the flour used at the beginning), and the beer adds a few extra calories and carbohydrates. Storage and reheating Beef estouffade keeps very well in the fridge, covered, for 3-4 days. The taste actually improves after a day. It reheats easily over low heat or in the oven, covered, adding a bit of liquid if the sauce has thickened. For longer storage, it can be frozen without problems, sauce included.

Beef stew with carrots or oven-roasted carrots

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