Description
Ina Garten’s ultimate beef stew recipe delivers rich, hearty comfort with tender meat and deeply developed flavors. Savory ingredients combine to create a classic dish that welcomes home cooks seeking warmth and satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds / 1.36kg boneless short ribs, cut in 1½-inch chunks (4½ pounds / 2.04kg on the bone)
- 4 oz / 115g small-diced pancetta
- 2 cups / 300g chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
- 2 cups / 300g chopped fennel, trimmed and cored (1 large bulb)
- 1 pound / 450g carrots, scrubbed and cut ½-inch thick diagonally
- 1 pound / 450g Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, 1-inch diced
- 10 oz / 280g frozen peas
- 1 can (14.5 oz / 411g) diced tomatoes, including the juices
- 3 tbsps / 45ml good olive oil
- 1 cup / 240ml hearty red wine (e.g., Côtes du Rhône or Chianti), divided
- 2 cups / 480ml beef broth
- 2 tbsps / 30g tomato paste
- 2 tbsps / 6 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tsps kosher salt / 10g
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper / 5g
- ¼ cup / 60ml Cognac or brandy
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F, setting the stage for a slow, transformative cooking process.
- Pancetta Rendering: In a Dutch oven, crisp pancetta in oil until golden and transfer to a paper towel, preserving its crunch for later garnish.
- Meat Searing: Generously season short ribs with salt and pepper, then methodically sear in batches to develop a rich, caramelized exterior that locks in deep flavor profiles.
- Deglazing and Flavor Building: Pour Cognac and red wine into the pot, scraping up the intensely flavored browned bits. Allow the liquid to simmer and concentrate, creating a complex flavor foundation.
- Vegetable Infusion: Sauté onions and fennel until translucent, adding minced garlic for a final aromatic minute. Incorporate diced tomatoes, tomato paste, remaining wine, and beef broth, nestling the browned short ribs back into the liquid.
- Slow Braising: Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 1¼ hours, allowing flavors to meld and intensify.
- Vegetable Integration: Add carrots and potatoes, returning the pot to the oven for an additional hour until vegetables become meltingly tender and fully infused with the rich cooking liquid.
- Final Touches: Gently fold in frozen peas and reserved crispy pancetta. Adjust seasoning to create a perfectly balanced, deeply satisfying stew that celebrates every ingredient’s potential.
Notes
- Meat Selection Matters: Choose well-marbled short ribs for maximum tenderness and deep, rich flavor that melts in your mouth.
- Searing Secrets: Brown meat in batches to prevent overcrowding, ensuring each piece develops a beautifully caramelized crust that locks in delicious juices.
- Deglazing Depth: Scrape every browned bit from the pot when adding Cognac and wine – these crusty remnants are flavor powerhouses that elevate the entire stew.
- Patience Pays Off: Low and slow cooking transforms tough meat into incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth bites while allowing flavors to develop and intensify.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 100mg