Smoky Beef Stew with Blue Cheese and Chives

Name: Smoky Beef Stew with Blue Cheese and Chives
Total time: 4 h
Yield: Makes 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
Ingredients: About 2 tbsp. vegetable oil; 4 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-in. pieces; 4 strips hardwood-smoked bacon, chopped; 2 large onions, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. wedges; About 1 tsp. salt; ¼ cup flour; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (see Notes); 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder; 2 bottles (750 ml. each) dry red wine; 2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces; 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4- by 2-in. sticks; 1 tablespoon butter; ½ cup crumbled blue cheese; Freshly ground black pepper; ¼ cup minced chives

8 Ratings
7 Reviews

Bacon, smoked paprika, and chipotle chile powder (from dried smoked jalapeños) give this stew layers of smoky flavor. Prep and Cook Time: 4 hours. Notes: You can make this a day ahead through step 3 and chill it. Add 15 minutes to the cooking time for the potatoes, since the liquid will take longer to boil. Find smoked paprika (often labeled pimentón de La Vera) at gourmet grocery stores.

This Story Originally Appeared On sunset.com

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Credit: Leigh Beisch; Merilee Bordin

Recipe Summary

total:

4 hrs

Yield:

Makes 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1
Heat a heavy, large casserole or Dutch oven (not nonstick) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp. oil. When hot, add 1/5 to 1/4 of the beef. The first piece should sizzle when it hits the pot; if it doesn't, remove it and wait for the oil to get hotter. The pieces should not touch—you want plenty of room so the juices will evaporate quickly and the meat can brown. Cook until well browned and a bit crusted, about 5 minutes each side, adjusting heat so meat sizzles but does not burn. They're ready to turn when they release from the pot easily. Transfer meat to a bowl and repeat with remaining meat and oil, for a total of 4 or 5 batches. This takes about an hour when done properly.

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Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°. Add bacon to pot and cook until fat renders and bacon starts to brown. Transfer bacon to bowl with beef. Add onions to pot and stir in 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring, until onions begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Transfer onions to bowl with beef. Add flour to pot and cook, stirring, until it starts to turn golden and smells faintly of piecrust, about 2 minutes. Add smoked paprika and chipotle powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Step 3
Add wine and increase heat to high. Scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add reserved beef, bacon, and onions. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and bake until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Step 4
Return pot to stove. Add potatoes and bring to a boil. Add carrots and bring back to a boil. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 30 minutes. Stir in butter and add salt to taste. Serve hot, garnished with blue cheese, pepper, and chives.
Step 5
Note: Nutrition analysis is per 1 1/2-cup serving.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

795 calories; calories from fat 40%; protein 51g; fat 35g; saturated fat 13g; carbohydrates 35g; fiber 4g; sodium 766mg; cholesterol 170mg.

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celestino

10/29/2017

Made this yesterday and it was delicious! Made half recipe but still way too much for us. I used half red wine and half beef broth and baked for the recommended one and one half hours at 350. The meat was not tender enough so I baked it an additional 30 minutes and that did the trick. Except that there was about a third less sauce after the extra baking, I added some more broth and a splash of wine and that made it more of a stew. I also added a handful of frozen peas at the end. Next time will add an extra cup of broth at the start. We liked the blue cheese and chives on top, but equally good without.

Jenn2u

02/17/2012

This is now a hubby favorite! I substitute one of the bottles of wine for beef broth but it is still amazing. Goes very well with a sourdough boule

kurvydog

11/15/2011

Absolutely the best stew recipe ever. Time consuming but well worth the effort.

TonyBacus

10/01/2011

I am cooking this right now, and it smells wonderful. Has anyone else had their oven burst open with flames? SCARY!!! It happened at the 30 min mark, so I decided it was done with that phase. Besides, baking at 350 for an hour and a half seems excessive, maybe 300, next time. It was my first time cooking with a whole bottle of wine( i am single, so 1/2 batch) and I went with a dry red(Columbia Valley Chardon), but next time I boil it awhile longer before baking. I give it a 2 because it could have killed my cat, or singed my eyebrows, or worse!

jodipdx

09/18/2011

We love beef bourguignon, and we love blue cheese, but this recipe showed me that they shouldn't necessarily co-habitate. While a little heat and a little smoke were tasty twists to dish, the blue cheese in this recipe amounts to nothing more than gilding the lily. It's really very good without, and overwhelmed with. I will definitely make this again, but without the cheese, which masks some very beautiful flavors.

EllenU

11/14/2010

The flavor of this stew was phenomenal! I loved the Smoked Paprika and the Chili Powder - truly a deep flavor. But, I found that the stew meat did not get tender as it cooked! All my stews done on the stove turn out "melt in your mouth". This did not. I may try it again and do it on the stove rather than the oven. I used high quality meat, so I think it must be the cooking technique.

kajsa07

02/20/2009

This is a wonderful recipe. It is more time consuming than most stews, but well worth the effort. The blue cheese and chives are a must. I did decide to use 1 bottle wine and substituted broth for the second bottle...delicious! I am serving it tonight with crunchy french bread and a simple green salad!

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Smoky Beef Stew with Blue Cheese and Chives

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Recipe Summary

Ingredients

Directions

Nutrition Facts

Reviews (7)

All Reviews for Smoky Beef Stew with Blue Cheese and Chives

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Smoky Beef Stew with Blue Cheese and Chives

Gallery

Recipe Summary

Ingredients

Directions

Nutrition Facts

Reviews (7)

All Reviews for Smoky Beef Stew with Blue Cheese and Chives