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!
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 one of these; Instant Pot Beef Stew, Dutch Oven Beef Stew and Instant Pot Beef & Barley.
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 ยพ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ยฝ 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, ยฝ teaspoon pepper, 1 bay leaf, and the browned beef. Let that simmer together for 5 minutes.
Stir in 2 cups beef broth, 2 ยฝ cups carrots, 1 ยฝ 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.
How to Thicken Red Wine Beef Stew
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 ยผ 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.
How to Serve Beef Stew with Wine
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.
How to Make Beef Stew with Red Wine Ahead of Time
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.
Red Wine Beef Stew FAQS
If you don't want to use red wine you can sub in more beef broth. Instead of the wine add 3 cups of beef broth. However note that it will not have the same flavor as when you use 750ml bottle of red wine.
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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Red Wine Beef Stew
Equipment
- OR
Ingredients
Beef
- 2 lbs beef stew meat - cut into 1 inch cubes
- ยพ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil - divided
Stew Assembly
- 1 yellow onion - chopped
- 4 garlic cloves - chopped
- 750 ml bottle red wine - divided
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon beef base - I like Better Than Bouillon brand
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ยฝ teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 ยฝ cups carrots - cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 ยฝ 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 ยพ cup flour with 1 teaspoon salt and ยฝ teaspoon pepper. Toss the 2lbs. beef chunks in the flour until it is completely coated. Set aside.ยพ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ยฝ teaspoon black pepper, 2 lbs beef stew meat
- In a Dutch oven, cast iron pot, or sturdy pot with a tight fitting lid, warm 2 tablespoon 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, sautรฉ the yellow onion and garlic cloves for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly so they don't burn.1 yellow onion, 4 garlic cloves
- 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.750 ml bottle red wine
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, beef base, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, 1 bay leaf, and the browned beef with juices. Let that simmer together for 5 minutes.2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon beef base, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 bay leaf, ยฝ teaspoon pepper
- Add the beef broth, carrots, celery, and potatoes.2 cups beef broth, 2 ยฝ cups carrots, 1 ยฝ cups celery, 3 cups russet potatoes, peeled
- Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to low and pop the lid on. Cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- 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 ยผ cup water)Stir it into the stew and bring it to a simmer over medium heat until it is thickened, about 4-5 minutes.3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 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, ยฝ 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 ยฝ cups carrots, 1 ยฝ 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 ยผ 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!
