Paula Deen's Old-Time Beef Stew is an easy beef stew recipe with carrots, potatoes, celery, onions, and seasonings. This classic vegetable beef stew makes a hearty, delicious meal any time of the year. Slow simmered on the stove top for just over 2 hours.
I'm sure you'll love this beef stew because of its tender, slow-cooked beef, perfectly cooked vegetables, and rich and flavorful broth.
If you love stews and soups, please also try my Cajun Shrimp Stew, 15-Bean Slow Cooker Soup, or Ground Beef Vegetable Soup.
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Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity! It's my pleasure to share this delicious Paula Deen recipe. This old fashioned southern beef stew is full of all your favorites traditional stew vegetables and perfectly seasoned. My family loves this stew and I hope that you and your family do, too!
She came to Vicksburg, Mississippi, several years ago for a show. My mom and I went to see her show and we really enjoyed it. After the show, my mom purchased this cookbook for me, Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics, and this cookbook is where this beef stew recipe is from.
Ingredients You'll Need
please scroll down to the recipe card for detailed ingredients and helpful information
Beef stew meat - for best results buy a chuck roast and cut into small chunks. You can also buy the precut beef stew meat.
Fresh vegetables - onions, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
Seasonings - Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, sugar, paprika, and ground allspice.
Cornstarch - use to thicken the stew.
Ingredients Substitutions and Additions
- Instead of potatoes you can use half potatoes and half turnips (like my Cajun grandmother did).
- Sweet potatoes, rutabagas, and parsnips are good alternatives for potatoes.
- Green peas or sugar snap peas can be added near the end of cooking for a burst of color and sweetness. Red, green, or yellow bell peppers add color and a slightly sweet flavor.
- Mushrooms are always a great addition to stew because of their rich and savory flavor. Add them about 30 minutes before the stew is done so they won't get overcooked.
How to Make It
Paula Deen's Old-Time Beef Stew has only 15 minutes of prep time...then sit back for a while and let the stew slow simmer to perfection!
Step 1. Brown the meat in a hot skillet. This process sears the meat and locks in the juices. You don't cook the meat through, only the surface gets a quick, brown, crisp outer layer.
Step 2. After browning the beef stew meat, add all the seasonings and water then simmer for 1-½ hours. This slow-cooking process will ensure super tender, flavorful meat and rich broth.
Step 3. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots, potatoes, and celery. Cover and cook 30-40 minutes longer.
Step 4. To thicken stew, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup of water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with hot liquid and return mixture to pot.
Storing Leftovers
Stew will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store stew in airtight containers. I like to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids. Check out this 18-piece set of glass food storage containers with locking lids. These containers are great for meal prep, too! Available now on Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soooo, what are some great sides to serve with beef stew? There are lots of great options. As you can see in my pictures above, we are big fans of biscuits with our beef stew but any bread is great with beef stew. Sometimes we serve beef stew over white rice or egg noodles. Cornbread is a nice accompaniment, too.
Family Nano also has a great list of what to serve with beef stew.
To peel or not to peel, that's the question. There is no right or wrong answer here. I always peel potatoes (and carrots) for stew but I have no reason why, other than that's what my mother does. If you choose to keep the peel on, be sure to thoroughly wash the potatoes first. Potato peels do have nutritional value so keeping the peel on may be a good choice for you. However, remove the peel if they are bruised or green.
Beef stew is a pretty hearty meal, so you will probably want to serve something light for your dessert. As mentioned on ehow.com, a bowl of mixed fruits with a dab of whipped cream or cookies would be a great choice.
Additionally, my apricot nectar pound cake would make a great dessert. Its light citrus flavor and thin glaze aren't too heavy or rich to serve as a dessert after eating beef stew.
You can usually find a package of "beef stew meat" in your grocery store's meat section. Typically, beef stew meat comes from the chuck or other inexpensive cuts. Before deciding which cut of beef to use, check out this great article from TasteofHome.com.
As mentioned above, stew meat is typically from the more inexpensive cuts of beef. In order to make your beef stew as awesome as possible, you will want to make sure that you take appropriate steps to tenderize the meat. This recipe calls for browning the meat in a hot skillet first. This step is very important as it ensures tender, juicy meat.
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Recipe
Paula Deen's Old-Time Beef Stew
Equipment
- large pot with lid (at least 5 quarts)
- measuring cup(s)
- measuring spoons
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat such as chuck roast cut into small chunks
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups water See Recipe Note
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 or 2 bay leaves
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Dash of ground allspice or ground cloves
- 3 large carrots, sliced
- 4 red potatoes, quartered
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1-½ hours.
- Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots, potatoes, and celery. Cover and cook 30-40 minutes longer.
- To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup of water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Taste test the stew and add additional seasonings, if desired. Stir and cook until bubbly. Serve with hot buttered biscuits, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2019 and was updated in 2023.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
Sandee VanCuren
I made this recipe last night and although it tasted okay it did not have the dark color in the picture. I added an extra T cornstarch as well