This Beef Stew recipe captures a comforting, old-fashioned charm found in handwritten family cards from mid-century kitchens. It’s a hearty, one-pot dish with tender beef, root vegetables, and savory seasonings simmered slowly for depth and warmth. This recipe compares three variations, American, Italian, and French, each reflecting regional influences through herbs, wine, and vegetables. The American version is straightforward and comforting, the Italian adds olive oil and tomatoes, while the French features wine and aromatic herbs for richness. This dish embodies timeless home cooking: slow-simmered comfort, perfect for cold evenings.
Ingredients
American Version
- 1 ½ lbs beef stew meat
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- pepper (to taste)
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 cups water
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 whole cloves
- ½ small onion
- 6 carrots (medium, sliced)
- 3 potatoes (medium, cubed)
Italian Version
- 1½ lbs beef stew meat
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp flour
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion (medium, chopped)
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 cups water
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/2 l. zucchini (chopped)
- 1/2 lb mushrooms
- 12 tomatoes (quartered)
French Version
- 1½ lbs beef stew meat
- 2 cups water
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 stalks celery
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 potatoes (medium, cubed)
- 6 onions (small, chopped)
- 6 carrots (chopped)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
American Version
- Prepare the meat: Season the beef with half the salt and pepper. Coat with flour.
- Brown the beef: In a large pot, brown the beef pieces over medium heat.
- Add liquid and spices: Pour in 3 cups of water. Add celery, bay leaf, cloves, and onion.
- Simmer: Cover and let it cook on low heat for about 2.5 hours and add remaining salt.
- Add vegetables: Stir in carrots and potatoes. Continue cooking for another 30–45 minutes, until veggies are tender.
- Making sauce: add flour to 2 tbsp of flour to 3 tbsp of water and make a paste. Ad the paste to the stew and stir until thickened.
- Serve: Remove bay leaf and cloves, then serve hot.
Italian Version
- Prepare the meat: Season the beef with salt and pepper, then coat with flour.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a pot, then cook onion and garlic until fragrant.
- Brown the meat: Add the beef to the pot and sear until golden brown.
- Add liquid and tomato paste: Pour in 3 cups of water and add celery, tomato paste, and butter. Stir well.
- Simmer: Cover and let cook for about 2.5 hours on low heat.
- Add vegetables: during the last 10 minutes of simmering the beef: melt butter in a separate skillet and add zucchini, mushrooms, and quartered tomatoes over low heat for 10 minutes. Add to stew and let cook with stew for last 10 minutes.
- Making sauce: add flour to 2 tbsp of flour to 3 tbsp of water and make a paste. Ad the paste to the stew and stir until thickened.
- Serve: Remove from heat and enjoy.
French Version
- Prepare the meat: Season the beef with salt and coat it with flour.
- Brown the beef: Melt butter in a pot and sear beef until golden.
- Add liquid and aromatics: Pour in water and red wine. Add parsley, bay leaf, celery, garlic, and thyme.
- Simmer: Cover and cook on low heat for about 2.5 hours.
- Add vegetables: Stir in potatoes, onions, and carrots. Cook for another 45 minutes or until vegetable are tender.
- Making sauce: add flour to 2 tbsp of flour to 3 tbsp of water and make a paste. Ad the paste to the stew and stir until thickened.
- Serve: Remove bay leaf and parsley, then serve warm.
Tips
- Substitute half the water with red wine or beef broth for richer flavor.
- Add peas or green beans during the last 10 minutes for color and nutrition.
- Use a slow cooker on low for 6–8 hours for hands-off cooking.
- Thicken with cornstarch instead of flour for gluten-free preparation.
- For Italian flair, sprinkle grated Parmesan before serving.
Transcription of the Original Recipe
Read or copy the transcription
Serves Beef Stew (other side for directions)
4 to 6
AMERICAN ITALIAN FRENCH
½ lbs. Beef Stew meat Same Same
1½ t. salt 2 t. salt 2 c. water
Pepper 1/8 t. pepper 2 sprigs Parsley
3 T. flour 2 T. flour 1 bay leaf
3 T. lard 3 T. Olive Oil 2 stalks celery
3 c water 1 med. onion 1½ t. salt.
2 stalks celery diced 1 c. Red wine
1 bay leaf 1 clove garlic 3 med. potatoes
6 whole cloves 3 c. water 6 small onions
12 small onions 2 stalks celery 6 carrots
6 med. carrots (diced) 1 lb. peas.
3 med potatoes. 3 T. butter 1 14 oz can mushrooms
1½ lbs. zucchini (drained)
¼ lb. mushrooms 1 T. flour
sliced 2 T. water
1 lb. tomatoes (quartered)
AMERICAN ITALIAN FRENCH
Brown beef rolled Same - only Put beef in
in flour, salt & pepper During last Sauce pan & water
in lard. Add 10 min of Wine, Parsley, Bay
water, 1 t. salt, celery, Cooking: Heat leaf, celery & salt.
Bay leaf & cloves. melt butter add & simmer
Cover: Simmer 2 to 2½ hr in separate 2 to 2½ hrs. or until
add remaining ½ t. salt skillet, add meat is almost tender
& vegs. Cook until zucchini, mush, add vegs.
vegs are tender. Tom & 1 tsp. Cook until vegs
Measure seasoned 1 t. salt. Cook are tender.
flour - add enough to for last 10 min Make paste w
make 2 T. add 3 T add to stew cook flour & water
water - make paste add 10 min - Add to stew
to stew, stir til thickened. Finish - same stir until
as Amer. thickened.From Transcription to Instructions
This recipe card is all charm and shorthand, so we kept it but unpacked a couple of things for you: the card names browning in lard and then says “add remaining ½ t. salt & vegs” after a long simmer, and the instructions spell that out as seasoning the beef with half the salt before browning, simmering about 2–2½ hours, then adding the rest of the salt and the vegetables for 30–45 minutes. We also made the finishing step explicit , a 2 Tbsp flour to 3 Tbsp water paste , so you know when and how to thicken without guessing.
Nutrition
Calories: 375kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 30gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 700mgPotassium: 980mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5000IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 3.5mg
