Beef Stew with Red Wine is a slow simmered stew that has tender chunks of beef and vegetables in a savory red wine and beef sauce. This recipe calls for an entire 750 ml bottle of red wine that cooks down and concentrates into the most delicious flavor!
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This beef stew recipe is written for 2 hours on your stove top, however I have also included instructions for making it a little quicker in your Instant Pot!
I know not everyone loves wine in their food, so if that is you check out my Dutch Oven Beef Stew and Instant Pot Beef & Barley, both recipes do not include wine.
BUT, if you do love cooking with wine, check out my recipes for Goat Cheese Chicken or Instant Pot Risotto!
Red Wine
Now is not the time to grab a bottle of 2 buck chuck, but you also don’t need a $50 bottle of wine for this beef stew recipe. The flavor of the red wine will be concentrated so you want something that you would enjoy drinking.
I like to choose something in the $8-10 range.
You also don’t want a delicate wine like Pinot Noir for this stew. Grab a bottle of hearty red wine; cabernet, merlot, zinfandel, shiraz, or malbec work great!
Stew Meat
This recipe calls for stew meat, which is a cheap cut of beef, generally chuck or round, that is cut into 1 or 2 inch cubes. Stew meat is super tough meat that requires low and slow cooking to become it’s best.
After the 2 hour cook time of this recipe the beef stew meat becomes fall apart tender and super flavorful!
How to Make Beef Stew with Red Wine
For this Red Wine Beef Stew recipe you will want to use a dutch oven or similar heavy duty pot that has a tight fitting lid. If you are planning on making it in your Instant Pot, refer to the recipe card below for instructions.
Start by making sure your beef stew meat is cut into 1 inch chunks.
Mix together the ¾ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Toss the beef chunks in the flour so they are coated on all sides. Set aside.
Heat the 2 tablespoon olive oil in the dutch oven or large pot, over medium heat. Brown the floured beef, in batches to not overcrowd the pot. Remove each batch to a plate.
In the now empty pot add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 chopped onion and 4 chopped garlic cloves. Stir them constantly so they do not burn for 1-2 minutes.
Deglaze the pot with 3 cups of red wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon beef base, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 bay leaf, and the browned beef. Let that simmer together for 5 minutes.
Stir in 2 cups beef broth, 2 ½ cups carrots, 1 ½ cups celery, 3 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes.
Bring the pot to a boil. Then lower the heat to low and cover. Cook the stew, occasionally stirring, for 2 hours.
Thicken the Broth
Once the stew is cooked the broth will still be pretty thin. You want to make it a silky thick gravy for your stew.
You are going to make a cornstarch slurry which is a mixture of cornstarch and cold liquid used as a thickening agent.
Mix together the remaining wine, about ¼ cup, with 3 tablespoon of cornstarch. Stir it until the cornstarch is completely incorporated into the wine. Stir it into the stew and bring the pot back up to a simmer over medium heat.
Finish & Serve
Once the Red Wine Beef Stew is thickened how you like it, turn the pot off and remove the bay leaf.
Let the stew cool for 5-10 minutes and then serve! It goes great with warm crusty bread and a glass of red wine.
Make Ahead
You can absolutely make this Beef Stew with Red Wine ahead and reheat when you are ready to eat.
Make the recipe completely and let it cool before storing it in the fridge. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To reheat simply place on the stovetop over medium low heat and let it warm through for about 20 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
More Recipes Using Stew Meat
Because it is so economical I love using stew meat. When cooked correctly is is fall apart tender! Here are some more recipes to check out when purchasing stew meat:
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Beef Stew with Red Wine
Equipment
- OR
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef stew meat - cut into 1 inch cubes
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil – divided
- 1 yellow or white onion - chopped
- 4 garlic cloves - chopped
- 750 ml bottle red wine – divided - Use a bold red wine that you also like to drink: cabernet, merlot, malbec, or zinfandel.
- 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon beef base - I like Better Than Bouillon brand
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 salt
- ½ pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 ½ cups carrots - cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 ½ cups celery - cut into 1 inch chunks
- 3 cups russet potatoes, peeled - cut into 1 inch chunks
Thickening slurry
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch - can also use arrowroot
Instructions
- Mix together ¾ cup flour with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss the 2 # beef chunks in the flour until it is completely coated. Set aside.
- In a dutch oven, cast iron pot, or sturdy pot with a tight fitting lid, warm 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Brown all the beef, working in batches to not over crowd the pot. Set the browned pieces on a plate to the side.
- In the now empty pot, saute the 1 chopped yellow onion and 4 chopped garlic cloves for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly so they don't burn.
- Deglaze the pot with 3 cups of red wine (don't use the whole bottle yet, you will need the remaining red wine to thicken the stew at the end), scraping up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pot. Stir in the 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon beef base, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 bay leaf, and the browned beef with juices. Let that simmer together for 5 minutes.
- Add the 2 cups beef broth, 2 ½ cups carrots, 1 ½ cups celery, 3 cups potatoes.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to low and pop the lid on. Cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Thicken the Stew
- At the end of 2 hours the broth will still be pretty thin. Mix together a cornstarch slurry by stirring the remaining red wine and 3 tablespoon of cornstarch together. (note if you didn't save the wine, just use ¼ cup water)Stir it into the stew and bring it to a simmer over medium heat until it is thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
Serve!
- Let the stew cool and then serve! It goes great with warm crusty bread.
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS
- Start with your pot on normal saute mode, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Brown the floured beef in batches, setting the browned pieces on a plate. Set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and stir in the chopped onion and 4 chopped garlic cloves. Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring so they don't burn.
- DEGLAZE THE POT COMPLETELY!!! Pour 3 cups of red wine into the pot and scrape up ALL the browned bits from the bottom.Do not skip this step. It will prevent you from getting a burn warning when you cook the stew.
- Stir in the 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon beef base, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 bay leaf, and the browned beef with juices. Let that simmer together for 5 minutes.
- Turn the saute mode off. Add the 2 cups beef broth, 2 ½ cups carrots, 1 ½ cups celery, and 3 cups potatoes.
- Pop the lid on the pot and lock the pressure valve to seal. Set to cook for 25 minutes on meat/stew mode (high pressure).
- Do a 5 minute natural release, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Turn the pot on to normal saute mode.Mix a slurry with the remaining wine (about ¼ cup) and 3 tablespoon cornstarch. Pour into the stew and allow it to simmer and thicken for about 4-5 minutes.
- Turn off saute mode, cool the stew for about 10 minutes, and serve!
Karen
Wow! Family favorite! Love the pod cast addition and suggestions… especially wine recommendations.
Robert
Fabulous dinner for cold weather. It has great flavor and depth. Recommended for family gatherings or even a large group
Kim
So good! Definitely a keeper.
Meagan
Great depth to this sauce! Added tomato paste which really complimented the wine flavor. Definitely saving this one!
Kelly
Snow day here in Fort Worth and my home smells amazing!!! Never tried a beef stew w wine before and brought all my men into the kitchen to smell it after the wine simmer deglaze part and 😊😉😛 they were asking right away when dinner w be ready!! Lolol I will letcha all know how we liked this one! Certainly smells and sounds delish! Be back this evening!
Becky
Best dish EVER!!! I’ve made it a few times now with a couple alterations. Instead of including potatoes in the cooking I make garlic mashed potatoes on the side. Omit celery and add mushrooms 🙂 SO GOOD
Susie Weinrich
Love that !! Do you serve it over the mashed potatoes?!
Raymond kutz
How do I thin the red wine beef stew.
I used a half recipe.
Susie Weinrich
Add in some beef broth or water.
Charlie
I had the privilege of growing up in my mother’s house. She learned to cook from her grandmother, although her mother was a pretty good cook also. I haven’t cooked this stew yet but I just sent my daughter to the store for the wine, I am a non-drinker. This is just to say not all great cooks are called chef.
Chevy
I’m making this now with a few tweaks, doing 3 cups broth and 2 cups of pino noir, well because the cook needs a glass ! no salt but instead half a packet of Lipton onion soup , and a little bit of tomato paste.
Don
Very tasty! I cooked this a little longer than written but the sauce reduced down and I skipped the thickening at the end. Full of flavour and just a little effort early in the day really paid off. Served it with some drop biscuis.
Judi
Ditto to above. I make this in my Instant Pot and LOVE it. No other beef stew recipe can match it.
Zach L
Cooking up two batches for Christmas dinner. This is the only recipe I use now. This is usually my go to meal to impress guests. Surprisingly, not a lot of people have even had beef stew with wine in it. When those people try this it opens their eyes to a whole new combination of flavors that just blows their minds.
Darren Overfelt
I have tried more beef stew recipes than I can count. No more, tho. This, hands down is absolutely the best I have ever made. I used my instant pot and all I can say is WOW!
Susie
What a high compliment!!! Thank you!!
Sandra Carter
Have you tried this recipe in a crock pot ?
Susie Weinrich
I have not, but I imagine it would work… 8 hours on low.
Bob
Made the stew & couldn’t believe how tender the meat turned out in this length of time. 25 Min when all was ready.
Just grabbed a bottle of red from our wine cooler which was from Magnotta, a Cabernet Sauvignon & all turned out great. Maybe I,ll try a little cheaper one next time. lol
Thanks for the recipe.
Emily Bruno
Thanks for including the IP instructions – this was delicious!
Amanda
This was delicious-the red wine really makes a difference and brings such a great flavor. The meat turned out perfectly tender!
Tawnie Kroll
This was so warming and comforting – whole family loved it. Thank you!!
Lauren Nagel
The perfect snow day meal for sure!!