Beef Stew is one of the world's best comfort foods, but Red Wine Beef Stew filled with vegetables and a savory broth, feels like your dinner is giving you a hug!
Trim the beef of any large fatty pieces and then cut into 1-inch cubes (bite-sized). Dab well with a paper towel.
In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt, paprika and black pepper. Mix the dry ingredients well and set aside 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture.
Toss the cubed beef with the flour, removing beef and shaking off excess flour. Discard this flour.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef. Turn every so often to sear and brown the outside. Cook for 4-5 minutes and remove to a paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease. Keep the heat on. Depend on the size of your pan, you might want to work in 2-3 batches. Meat browns best when it has room for air to circulate and isn't crowded.
Deglaze the pan by adding the red wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the beef broth, thyme and bay leaves.
Bring to a low simmer before adding the cooked beef cubes. Simmer on low for 90 minutes.
Thirty minutes before serving, add the onion, rutabaga, carrots, parsnips and potatoes. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes, then add the mushrooms.
Ladle out 1/4 cup of the beef broth and whisk with the reserved flour-spice mixture until smooth. Add back to the to stew.
Heat for an additional 5 minutes. Stew liquid should coat the backside of a wooden spoon, but not be thick like gravy. Vegetables should be fork tender.
Add the red wine vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon coarse salt and season to desired taste with freshly ground pepper.
Ladle into bowls and serve with slices of a crusty bread to soak up the remaining liquid your spoon couldn't reach.
If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments and ratings!