Tired of the same old beef stew recipe? In this version, classic oxtail soup flavor elements, such as Worcestershire sauce, thyme and sherry wine turn ordinary beef stew into something really special.
My husband is English. And there are certain British comfort foods that he craves even though he’s lived here in the US for 35+ years. Some of these things I am on board with, like Shepherd’s pie and Walker’s Pure Butter Shortbread Biscuits. Others, like baked beans on toast and Marmite, I avoid at all costs. He loves the flavors in British oxtail soup so I set out to make it for him.
Now, oxtail soup has a long history in British cuisine, dating back to the Middle Ages. Back then, oxtails were considered a cheap and readily available ingredient and they were used in hearty soups and stews to provide sustenance during the colder months. Well, in modern times, I have found oxtail to be an expensive and hard to find ingredient. And when I have found oxtails, they have had very little meat on them. So, this recipe takes the wonderful flavors of oxtail soup and lends them to beef stew, in this case made with beef bone broth as well as readily available beef stew meat.
This oxtail soup-style beef stew recipe serves a crowd, with a healthy Portion Queen portion size of about 1 ½ cups per person. Serve it with a leafy green salad dressed with Meyer Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette. Or for a more unusual salad, top some romaine, chopped red cabbage and sliced cucumbers with Surprise Banana Raspberry Vinaigrette. Add some crusty whole grain bread and you’ve got a fantastic cold-weather feast.
Ingredients
Marbled beef stew meat
Your selection of stew meat will make or break this dish. Like the porridge in the Goldilocks and the Three Bears fable, you want beef stew meat that’s “just right.” Just the right amount of marbled fat, that is. Stew meat that is too fatty and grisly is unpleasant (might I say disgusting?) to eat and stew meat that is too-lean will turn into dry, tough pucks of sadness during the long simmer time. Look for beef stew meat with thin veins of delicate white marbled fat throughout.
Beef bone broth
You can buy commercially made beef bone broth for this oxtail soup-style beef stew, but I make my own. It’s so easy because the entire recipe is in “twos:” Simmer 2 pounds of beef bones in 2 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 2 teaspoons of sea salt for 2 days. Let cool and strain. That’s it! (Of course, feel free to add other flavoring elements, such as chopped onions, garlic, carrots and celery, but it’s not necessary for this recipe!)
I try to make a large batch of either beef or chicken bone broth every week, to use in soups and stews and also just to sip warm from a cup. There is a growing body of scientific evidence pointing to potential significant health benefits of both broth. See the Q&A below.
Tomato paste
Skip the cans of grocery store tomato paste and splurge on the excellent, intensely flavored Italian varieties of double and (even better) triple-concentrated tomato pastes. The gold standard is Multi Triple Concentrated Tomato Paste. It comes in an easy to use squeeze tube and the flavor boost that it will give to all of your dishes that call for tomato paste is more than worth it.
Other ingredients
- avocado or canola oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- sweet onions
- celery
- garlic
- Worcestershire sauce
- fresh thyme
- bay leaves
- dry sherry wine
- carrots
- Russet potatoes
- crimini mushrooms
- frozen peas
- butter
- flour
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Season the stew meat pieces liberally with salt and pepper. Place the oil in a large Dutch oven and heat on medium-high until almost smoking. Add ½ of the stew meat in a single layer. Deeply brown the meat on one side and then turn the pieces until all sides are browned. Transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside. Repeat with the other half of the stew meat pieces and set aside.
If the Dutch oven is dry, add another tablespoon or two of oil along with the onions and celery and cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring them to loosen up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. You want them to be soft and translucent, but not browned. Add in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant and then add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaaves, stirring well to combine.
Add the sherry, bone broth, reserved stew meat and any juices from the bowl and raise the heat again to medium-high. When the stew bubbles, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the carrots, potatoes and mushrooms and cook for another 45 minutes. When done, the meat and the vegetables should be fork tender. Add the peas during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Mix the butter and flour in a small bowl until smooth and then stir into the stew until it turns clear and thickens slightly. Ladle the stew into warm, shallow bowls and serve.
Hint: Add the peas only during the last 10 minutes of cooking so that they retain their bright green color.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. This oxtail soup-style beef stew freezes well, and should be used within 6 months.
Top tip
Well-marbled beef stew meat is critical to this recipe. I see a lot of “lean” stew meat in grocery stores these days. Because the beef simmers for a long time in liquid, the lack of fat will give you very dry and tough beef. Avoid this!
FAQ
This stew includes a ton of healthy vegetables. But in addition, we use beef bone broth as a base. Beef bone broth is made by simmering beef bones in water for hours or even days to release the collagen, amino acids, minerals and vitamins from the bones. I am a food blogger, not a doctor, but there are plenty of sources that point to these potential health benefits:
– Promotes gut health: The gelatin and collagen found in beef bone broth help to repair and maintain the lining of the gut, which can improve digestive function and reduce inflammation.
– Supports joint health: The collagen and other compounds in beef bone broth have been shown to reduce joint pain and inflammation, making it beneficial for people with arthritis or other joint disorders.
– Boosts immunity: The amino acids found in beef bone broth, such as glycine and proline, have been shown to support immune function and improve overall health.
– Enhances skin health: The collagen in beef bone broth can improve the elasticity and hydration of the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
– Improves sleep: The glycine in beef bone broth has been shown to have a calming effect on the brain, which can improve sleep quality and reduce insomnia.
– Provides essential nutrients: Beef bone broth is rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are essential for bone health. It also contains vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin C, which are important for overall health and wellbeing.
Oxtail Soup-style Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1½ lb well marbled beef stew meat, cut into 2" pieces
- 2 tablespoon avocado or canola oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups sweet or yellow onions, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste, double or triple concentrated preferred
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 3 bay leaves
- ⅓ cup dry sherry wine
- 6 cups beef bone broth, (see note)
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 ½ inch pieces
- 1½ lb Russet potatoes, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoon flour
Instructions
- Season the stew meat pieces liberally with salt and pepper. Place the oil in a large Dutch oven and heat on medium-high until almost smoking. Add ½ of the stew meat in a single layer. Deeply brown the meat on one side and then turn the pieces until all sides are browned. Transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside. Repeat with the other half of the stew meat pieces and set aside.
- If the Dutch oven is dry, add another tablespoon or two of oil along with the onions and celery and cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring them to loosen up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. You want them to be soft and translucent, but not browned. Add in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant and then add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaaves, stirring well to combine.
- Add the sherry, bone broth, reserved stew meat and any juices from the bowl and raise the heat again to medium-high. When the stew bubbles, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the carrots, potatoes and mushrooms and cook for another 45 minutes. When done, the meat and the vegetables should be fork tender. Add the peas during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Mix the butter and flour in a small bowl until smooth and then stir into the stew until it turns clear and thickens slightly. Ladle the stew into warm, shallow bowls and serve.
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