Northern Italian Beef Stew

I used two and a half pounds of stew meat because honestly, I can't afford top round. I also used sliced baby bella mushrooms instead of crimini. I did not have time to make this in a dutch oven. I browned the meat in the oil, then added it to my crockpot with the celery and the carrots. I then sauteed the onions and garlic in the drippings with a little butter until the onions turned translucent, then I deglazed the pan with the wine. I poured all of it into the crockpot, then added the tomatoes, potatoes, spices, beef stock and tomato sauce. I let this cook all day until my family got home. I made homemade yeast rolls to go with. This was one of the best stews I've ever made. It's got a beef burgundy feel to it, it's rich and decadent tasting. I had a big bowl when I got home from work and it was like eating a big hug. EXCELLENT recipe.

Big and hearty, with a beefy tomato taste. Rich and robust, satisfying, stick to your ribs good. Other than coating the meat in flour first, I made no changes to the recipe. I had my doubts that 4-6 hours simmering was necessary and even thought it might work against this dish, but I chose to follow the directions. After two hours I was ready to call it quits but let it go another hour – and shouldn’t have. By this time, three hours, the meat had broken down and started to fall apart into small pieces. I would have much preferred a stew with good-sized chunks of meat. Four stars rather than five for directions that essentially took this backward as it overcooked. After two hours it seemed to have reached a turning point and lost quality beyond that. An hour and a half to two hours would have resulted in tender meat that still held its shape.

Delicious! I didn't have fresh tomatoes, so I used canned diced. Also, I didn't have all the herbs recommended, so I used dried Rosemary, Thyme and Basil. Used Chiati for the red wine and it went beautifully with the finished product. Best beef stew I have ever made! Such an easy recipe too! My husband loved it!

The taste, which is what we're all after in the first place, conveys a rich delicious broth with tender sweet vegetables and beef, making this stew a winner any day, although I reserve these meals preferably for Sunday lunch or dinner ... and cooked in a slow cooker (crock-pot) Being a retired butcher, catch chuck or shoulder roast on sale ... buy a three or four pound roast ( boneless or bone in ) take it home and cut it up in 1/2" pieces ( trimming the fat off at this time if your so inclined .... leaving some fat on improves the richness of the final product when cooked ) and saving at LEAST a dollar a pound over buying pre-packaged "stew meat", while controlling the preferred bite size and fat content. /Use the amount of stew meat that you think it will take and freezing the rest in portion controlled freezer bags. (I dusted the meat with seasoned ( S&P ) flour before browning it in a skillet) During or after browning the meat, toss in and sauté the onion, celery, carrot, mushrooms and garlic (garlic last ... DO NOT BURN the garlic !) Next, deglaze skillet with some wine and add all to crock pot. I used a "Lambrusco" wine ... added 3 tbl. of "Kitchen Bouquet", and 1 tbl. of "Lee & Perrens Worchester Sauce". ( always! ) (optional ... toss in a hand full or two of frozen corn ( or a small can of "Niblets" white corn, drained ) .... same with peas (small preferred)... both, personal preference to add. This is a recipe not to be missed !

I really liked this!! I did as Sarah suggested and used stew meat! Finished up in the crock! 4 .5 hours on low! Will def make again! Only other change was in my spices..... Used an Italian blend in lieu of the above and added 2 bay leaves while in the crock!

Made this up as posted - wonderful beef stew. It's a bit of work to get the prep done but the results are well worth the effort. I may have cut the beef and potatoes a bit smaller than 1 inch and with the 4 hour cooking time they were more than done, but still intact. I will keep closer to the 1 inch recommendation next time. One tip I saw somewhere that was helpful was to freeze the round steak for 15-30 minutes (not frozen hard) to make cutting it easier and it worked great.

I tried this recipe for the first time a few weeks ago. We were pleasantly surprised at how flavorful it was; we loved it so much that I am making it again today. This will be our favorite go to throughout the winter season. We did add a few other vegetables that we had around the house; this recipe easily lends itself to being tweaked to each persons liking. Having a recipe that uses such affordable cuts of meat make it even more appealing to a single income family like us; you could throw in some rice or a pasta and stretch it even that much further. Thank you so much chef Karen for this wonderful meal.

I used a little over 2 pounds of stew meat, and I cut back the mushrooms to 1/2 pound. Other than these changes, I used the ingredients suggested by the recipe author. My stew meat was tender after 3 hours on the stove top. I can't imagine that a better cut of meat would hold together for 6 hours in the pot, and the vegetables would be nearly dissolved if cooked that long. This makes a generous amount of stew, and I had to use a 6 quart dutch oven, since I do not have a skillet large enough to accommodate this. The stew as written nearly filled my pot. The stew liquid is well-flavored, though thin (I prefer a thicker, sauce consistency for stew), and not too strongly flavored with tomato. I only have one other tiny criticism. Herb leaves turn dark and unattractive in tomato based sauces. I think it would be more appetizing to tie them up in cheesecloth and remove before serving. I can well imagine this as a soup, if everything is cut into bite-sized pieces. If you wish to make soup, I would recommend adding the carrots, mushrooms and potatoes later in the process, so the smaller pieces will not cook too long. Overall, I give the recipe four stars, both for the flavor and for the directions.

To be fair, as written, it is a four star recipe due to a bit of blandness to the flavor. But the second time I made it, I added only basil and oregano as my spices, but upped the garlic to four cloves and added a quarter cup of Worcestershire sauce. Now it is five stars! Yum!!!

Excellent combination/ratio of beef/red wine/tomato. The rich broth and mushrooms made this really special. We loved it. I've been using this recipe now for several years...so good. (03.27.13; 03.11.17.)

I followed the recipe as is. I too used the stew meat as Sarah. My family & I very muched enjoyed this yummy stew. This recipe does make alot of stew. However, I'm okay with that. The only change was after cooking the vegetables, I put the cooked beef in the crockpot & added the vegetables in the crockpot. I cooked it in the crockpot for 4 hours. We like to season our soups/stews once it's in our bowls. My son used Tony's (cajun seasoning) in his bowl. I used a small amount of sea salt & Chalulah (almost like Tobasco, but much better taste).

I don't think I would make this again, serves at least 12 and on the expensive side to make. It really needs salt and pepper. Filled my crockpot to the top. Took at least 6 hours to cook. Add salt an pepper to taste and a little Worcestershire to taste also

Excellent base recipe. It is fabulous as-is, but it became a weekly request from the family once I added about 8 ounces of tikka masala sauce to the pot. I have made this with Calabaza (pumpkin) and sweet potatoes. You can put whatever veggies you have on hand and it will come out great. One time I had to use "Holland House" cooking sherry because we are not wine drinkers and I don't have wine on hand. It didn't seem to change the taste. I also have only made it with stew meat because to use a more expensive cut given the long cook time, in my opinion, is a waste. The meat breaks down beautifully.

I made this dish dozen times for different family and each one of them love it!!! Made it in a conventional oven, Aga stove, electric stove, they all turn out GREAT!!! either I used cheap beef ribs, top round beef, stewing beef chunks (as long as you trimmed the fat or boil it for a few mins to lessen the fat. thank you for sharing!

This was fabulous!! I used an 8QT Dutch oven over gas flame the entire time, and needed every bit of that space. I followed recipe except for adding a bit of Worscheshire Sauce (1 T approx) after 2 hours to cut the acidity of the tomatos. Didn't add much, but it helped balance flavors. I also added 2 cups frozen peas about 15 min before serving. I was worried about all the liquid, especially after it had cooked 1 1/2 hrs, and liquid was still watery. I was simmering with lid on, so decided to remove lid to cook down liquid and concentrate flavor for the next 2 1/2 hours That was the magic of this dish! Best stew I've ever made! Next time I'll cook entire time w/o lid, and cut meat into smaller pcs, as well as celery. On the other hand, Family told me not to change a thing!!!

Northern Italian Beef Stew Haiku: "Won't make this again. Too much effort, costs too much. And tasted way 'meh.'" I was surprised that this could smell so outrageously good, and yet the taste was so bland. I followed the recipe exactly w/ the exception of using stew meat (that I'd rolled in s&p & flour b4 searing) and just couldn't get over that the richness (smell, and $$$-wise) of all of those ingredients coming together could result in such a yawn-worthy taste.

I enjoyed but I think traditional beef stew is the way to go for family. Used parsnips instead of carrot & turnip which is so good in a stew. Looking for winter veggies that my family does not quite grasp the "seasonal" thing but I'll keep trying! Great starting point!

I really liked this recipe, bold and earthy in flavor. We changed the meat to top sirloin, so the meat was not tough and wouldn't have to cook for 4+ hours. Boiled the tomatoes to skin them, and only cooked for an hour once everything was added in. The wine and broth reduced into a wonderfully thick sauce. Don't use stew meat, and don't flour the meat before frying. Stew meat is the tips off of what the butcher cuts ... not the best meat! Flour changes the consistence and will make it tougher and bland ... flour absorbs liquid!!! This also does not serve 12 as I've seen from someone else ... it will serve 6 adults at the most.

This was a tasty beef stew, one of the best I've every made. I used a cast iron Dutch oven and cooked it on the stove top for about three and a half hours. Changes: I had some pearl onions on hand so I used them along with one regular onion. I also added a little soy sauce and two bay leaves to give it more savory flavor. And I find if the potatoes are added too soon they tend to disintegrate into the liquid, so I added them for the last hour of the boil. Finally, I didn't have fresh tomatoes, so I used a can (actually box) of chopped Italian tomatoes. UPDATE: I made it again but closer to the original recipe, although I did add soy sauce and a bay leaf as before. I didn't measure amounts, but rather went by feel. Most importantly, I let it simmer for the full six hours this time, and that made a big difference. The beef was tender, the soup was thickened, and the tastes were all melded together. It was even better this time.

Really excellent. I used only two tomatoes and one can of tomato sauce, because I didn't want it to be too tomato-y. I added a bit of chopped green pepper, because I live in New Orleans where onion, celery and green pepper are the "holy trinity." And I didn't have the sage and marjoram handy, but it was great. I trust this recipe would survive a fair amount of experimentation. I only cooked it about 2 1/2 hours. I expect that cooking it 4-6 hours would produce mush.

Loved, loved, loved this stew recipe….. made it also with lean stew beef and followed every other direction. Very yummy and without the use of flour. This is going into my permanent recipe file. Try it. You won't be disappointed.

This is a great recipe! I finished cooking it in the slow cooker. My family loved!

Excellent! Made as recipe stated, added a splash or two of worcestershire sauce. Definitely will add to the rotation.

What a great soup! I really enjoyed the combination of flavors. Instead of cooking this on the stove, I just threw everything in the slow cooker for 6 - 8 hours on low.

This dish was amazing. I made it very close to original recipe because everyone was raving about it. Positively no disappointments. I cut my top round in smaller cubes and used canned diced tomatoes. This is a large dish. I feed 9 adults with a little leftover. PS. I also made buttermilk cornbread and skillet apple pie.

Delicious. Great recipe. Everyone loved it!

Wonderful stew! Added 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce and a 1/4 tsp of hot pepper flakes. Used canned, diced tomatoes. Cut up a blade roast for the beef. Everything else as per the recipe. The best beef stew I've ever made. Thanks for the recipe.

This is a hearty, flavorful stew. I like the spices and would also add Worchestershire. Just because I like it in stew. I always make a recipe the first time according to the cooks specs to see what they were going for and what it tastes like for me. Being a retired classically trained Chef, I thought this was very good. I used top sirloin because I like it better than top round but that's the only thing I did different. Do not roll the meat in flour and expect the recipe to turn out the same or just as good. You show your amateur side when you do things like this to a recipe. I did peel the tomatoes because I don't like tomato skin in stews. Very easy to do. Just cut a shallow x in the top of it and drop in boiling water for about 3 minutes . Then quickly into an ice bath and the peel should slide right off. Then cut as normal. Love the herbs called for. And btw, veal is beef. Just so everyone knows. And since I just came back from a month in Europe 9 days being in Italy, I know first hand that they do use beef in soups and stews as well as veal. It's just up to the Chef's discretion.

This was a great recipe, flavorful and rich. Yes, it takes a bit of time, but well worth it. I cut the recipe in half, and there's enough for 6. Didn't have fresh mushrooms, but a 4 oz. can of mushroom pieces substituted well. Also added 1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, which went well with it. Served with the remaining wine from cooking (a Petite Sirah)...will definitely serve this again

Delicious combination of ingredients as written. I agree with other reviewers that 4 to 5 hour simmer (stove-top in a cast dutch oven) is much too long. Mine was ready at 2 hours. Thanks for posting!

Did not add 2 cups of tomato sauce nor 2 cups of celery. At best, add a stalk or two. Instead of the tomato sauce, I added a few tablespoons of tomato paste which is sufficient and much closer to a true Italian Beef Stew.

I reduced the servings to one half. Other than that I followed the recipe and it was great.

I think this is the best stew I have ever made. I will definitely make again. I followed the recipe exactly and it was a little soupy. So next time I will try and thicken it up by adding a little flour or cornstarch. Or I could cut back on the liquid. I did make it in my crock pot. Excellent recipe.

PERFEC+ION!

I left out the mushrooms and substituted peas. I made in on the stove top but let it cook overnight in a crockpot. I dreamed of eating it all night. I refrigerated it in the morning and heated it up for dinner. Not one drop was left! I even cleaned my bowl with some fresh Italian bread. I will make it again.

Made this recipe with just a few subs. Did not use mushrooms as I was out! Subbed one can of diced tomatoes and it worked great! Loved the stew and would definitely make it again. Wife said to increase the amounts of seasoning and I would agree.

The flavor is wonderful. I simmered about 3 hours and my veggies were well done. The beef however not so much. Next time I will use boneless chuck, this is what is usually use for stews. I will make again with this change. Thanks for a great flavorful dinner.

Love it! Taste just like thought it would! It’s going to be one of my go to meals!

YUM! The wine and Italian seasoning in this stew combine very nicely. As other reviewers have done, I did use a can of diced tomatoes (forgot to get fresh) but otherwise I followed the ingredients here. Fair notice, I don't tend to measure on recipes like this, so I can't say I used *exact* amounts, but I didn't change any of the seasonings, just went by taste. And at the end I added a little flour slurry - I like my stew to have gravy, not just liquid. But I'll make this again, and maybe try it as a soup - bet some cannelleni beans would be a good addition...

Fantastic! Eating it now, incredibly rich and complex ! A winner!

This recipe came together nicely. However, the instructions direct you to put all the ingredients into a skillet. I used a 12" cast iron skillet (about 2" deep) and found this impossible. I cooked each stage of the ingredients, then combined them in the slow cooker. Cooked on "High" for about 6 hours, then switched to "Low" until ready to serve. It turned out great! (Leftovers were reheated the next day and were still excellent.)

Awesome ..

I will never make beef stew any other way! Loved it...I did add a sprig of fresh oregano and a bay leaf.....

just another beef stew with similar taste. Beef too expensive and this better quality meat tends to be a drier taste than a cheaper fatty cut which I use for these type of recipes.

This was just OK. I made it in a slow cooker, dumped all the ingredients in together, maybe that's why it turned out so bland. Also although I have a decent-sized slow cooker, it wouldn't fit - had to cut the quantities in half. Lastly, it turned out really runny so had to thicken it up using flour. Would definitely not make it again, which is unfortunate considering the giant amount of leftovers we have.

Made five minor changes: As recommended, I chop beef into much smaller pieces. I chopped the mushrooms, rather than sliced them. I used Herb Ox no sodium powder & water, rather than prepared broth to cut the sodium intake (heart problems). I doubled the dried basil. I started (browned the meat, etc) in a dutch oven on the stove top and (once everything was added & was just boiling) moved it to a preheated oven (200*) for five hours. Yes, I will make it again. Note: there are only two of us, but batches of it freezes and reheats in the microwave quite well.

Is there less than one? This was truly a disappointment. Both my husband and I were really looking forward to this recipe. And after the initial five hours of cooking we tasted it and were amazed how bland it was considering all the great fresh ingredients you have in it. So by adding in Worcester shire sauce by adding Gravy Master, additional bullion cubes, It just started to have flavor. Not something that I was anticipating but certainly feel that this recipe was a total fail. We will not be serving this again.

I used venison stew meat and added fresh basil aso a garnish on each bowl. It turned out wonderfully full of flavor. I also added anew additional cup of the red wine just seemed like it needed it to add that little extra taste. This one will definitely go in the recipe rotation.

I cut this recipe in half and used stew beef. I prepped everything the night before then put it all in the crockpot and put in fridge. The next day I cooked in the crockpot on low for 5 hours. It was very good but it did make way more than just 4 servings (which should have been 1/2 recipe).

My husband and I made it . Followed the recipe but added Worcestershire sauce and lots more garlic and seasoning than it asks for. We also black peppered the beef before searing it. I don’t eat meat but my husband loved it and ate it all through the week. Now going to make another batch to take to my son at the university ??.

The stew definitely needed some stronger seasoning to avoid a blandness. With all the meat, vegetables, and potatoes; salt and pepper should have been essential. We also added hot smoked paprika. The basic recipe is a 3-Star and it needs some work.

Quite the excellent recipe. I ordinarily adjust most recipes to suit my taste, but not this one. My maternal grandparents emigrated from northern Italy and when I saw the ingredient list knew this was the real deal. GREAT flavor!

Entire family loved it! Great flavors. I cooked it in a crock pot for about 7 hours. Lots of broth and it didn't really thicken - but tasted great! And yes, I added salt.

Love this recipe! So delicious. I made it on the stove top, but I think it would be possible to make it in the crock pot after adding and burning off the wine. You'll definitely want to pick up some bread too because the sauce is amazing.

After it was done it was a bit to winey for our taste. It overpowered the herbs. This time I cut the wine to 1 cup and added two cap fulls of Kitchen Bouquet. I also added 1 can of cut Italian green beans. Delicious

I rarely rate a recipe, but this is absolutely the best beef stew recipe I have ever made. My whole family decided to ditch any others and stick with this one from now on! The only caveats I would mention are to watch your time - mine was done in about 2 ours on low on my stove top. Perhaps add the potatoes about 1 hour into the cooking - I almost did, but decided to stick to the recipe, and they were just a bit overdone. I also coated the beef cubes in seasoned flour before browning, as that is how I have always made beef stew - it helps to thicken the stew up during cooking. I also added chopped fresh green beans the last 20 minutes of cooking because I have always put green beans in beef stew. The flavor of the broth was perfect!!

It was really good! I made changes since I didn't have everything so it was kind of like a beef veggie soup. Meat was frozen so no browning or red wine. Also no marjoram or sage so I added some oregano. No fresh tomatoes so I used 2 cans of diced with fire roasted garlic. Definitely gonna make again.

Very good! Used wild mushrooms and cabernet. Omitted the tomato sauce and added more broth to make soup.

definintely needs salt and oregano, and I would only use the very best canned tomatoes i..e San Marzano, unless your garden tomatoes are very flavorful. I used hot house and they were not great. Also, because the receipe called or huge amounts, i used to InstantPot on pressure cook for 30 minutes for the meat and potatoes and then put it all together. if you simmer all the ingredients for one hour, the meat will be very tender . Remember only use very fresh garlic.

outstanding beef stew. Changes not needed. It does make a lot so halve the recipe unless you have a big group to feed or like lots of leftovers.

This stew was amazing. No changes other than to cut the recipe in half. I will definitely make again!

I love this recipe! Dark, bold, rich flavor....I changed very little. I coated the meat in flour before browning, doubled the tomato sauce and added an extra cup of broth because the BF likes juicier foods to dip bread in. I used fresh sage and thyme because I had them. I lightly simmered for four hours, and covered the last two hours to retain more liquid. Will do again!

I used all ingredients listed except I only used 2 tomatoes because that is all that I had on hand. In addition, I added two bay leaves and extra spices which included an extra tablespoon of minced garlic and a mix of seasonings that I use on almost everything savory which contains black pepper, salt, garlic, mustard seed, coriander seeds. I sprinkled this spice mix on the meat along with a little garlic powder and onion powder. I also made a tomato paste mixture that I used in place of tomato sauce which I did not have on hand and added frozen green peas. I used a small mesh sifter to lightly dust meat with flour. I browned the meat, removed from pan, added onion and celery, then added garlic. Next I added the wine and let cook down. I next added the tomato and beef along with beef broth. I made a mixture of 2 Tablespoons tomato paste (Cento in a tube), 1 Tablespoon Heinz 57 sauce, 1 Tablespoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce and 1 teaspoon better than bouillon chicken in about 1 cup of water. Added that to pot along with the listed spices. Then cooked for about 1 1/2 hours. Then added mushrooms. After about 45 mins added carrots. Let cook another 30 minutes and added potatoes. Everything simmered for another 30 minutes. I added a 12 oz bag of frozen peas and let that cook for 15 - 20 minutes. The broth was a little thin so I mixed a 1 Tablespoon flour with 1 Tablespoon corn starch mixed into 1/2 c water. Stirred into stew and let simmer a few more minutes before

I’ve made this recipe several times and it is a winner. There’s a few things that I like to do differently. First in the prep I purée one of the onions and half of the celery in my food processor. I find it seems to help thicken the broth. I like garlic and add three or four cloves more to the sauté step. I also use a large can 28oz of chopped tomatoes and omit the tomato sauce. I’ve made it this way the last few times. I’ve made it exactly as the recipe states and it’s equally good.

Made as directed & will probably make again but will make some changes. There was something we didn't care for. Think it might have been the thyme. We will try it again but will try it using bottled Italian seasoning & regular mushrooms. AND cut it in half. Makes WAY too much!

Why waste a more expensive cut like top of the round for something you're going to simmer for hours? Go with a cheaper cut that is perfect in a slow cooker.

Added salt and pepper.

Delicious! Just like my Italian mama used to make. Even better the next day.

I did everything the same except used pearl onions instead and made basic dumpling recipe from AR. It's awesome. Will definitely do again! !

This stew reminded me of my grandmother’s. So incredibly good! Makes a lot!

I really enjoyed this recipe,I added salt and 1 head of cabbage.

Probably won’t make this again. It needs salt and Worchestershire. Plus my 6 qt Dutch oven barely held all the ingredients.

My family said this was the best stew they ever had! I didn’t put mushrooms in because we didn’t have any but otherwise I followed the recipe. I loved that it got really thick without any flour or other thickeners. The wine really adds a lot of richness. I use my crockpot a lot but it was Sunday so I cooked it on the stove and I think that made it better.

This was a fantastic stew recipe. I used cubed short ribs for the meat. I did flour the meat before browning. Other substitutions I made were 1tsp of oregano vs 1/2tsp of sage(I was out of sage). 4 garlic cloves vs 2. The flavor was missing something still. So I added 1tb of soy sauce, 1tb of Worcestershire sauce, and 1tsp of Dijon mustard. It gave the stew a deeper more umami flavor, and just a tiny zing to bring these flavors together. I think without the changes, this would only be 4stars. Also, I needed at least the 4hrs for the flavor to be absorbed into the meat, as is such with braised short ribs. Served with a crusty loaf bread. Used a Dutch oven vs a Crock-Pot.

Excellent recipe. The only change I made was to use two cups chicken broth and two cups beef broth instead of all beef broth. The stew was done in 4 hours, and I removed the lid and simmered for another half hour to thicken the sauce. This is now my beef stew recipe.

Excellent stew. I made it just as the recipe said except mushrooms because I forgot to get them. Very simple but the slow simmer bring so much flavor.

Great recipe! Easy to prepare. Very few items to clean after cooking. Super delicious!

Instead of adding tomato sauce I used 2 cans of Stewed Tomatoes. I also added the potatoes the last 30 mins instead of when the beef was added. We also added frozen peas (10oz) in the last few minutes. My family loved it. It was a big hit.

Tasted GR8 with dumplings too.

This is getting 4 stars because as is it is kind of bland. I doubled the herbs and spices added; and I felt it needed a little salt and pepper. We did enjoy it, though, and I'll probably make again. I made in the slow cooker and it was heaven to walk in the door after a long day's work and smell this cooking!

I made a couple of minor changes based on what was in my cupboards, but it was great!

very good added some tomato paste and a little spicy V8 and cooked in slow cooker. Even better 2 days later

I made no changes to this at all and my family absolutely loved it. It is a little more complex then most beef stews so be prepared to take some time with it but SOO worth it. I also did use a really high quality steak (tenderloin) which made the meat so delicious.

I drained a can of diced tomatoes instead of using raw. Also..regular mushrooms. Great recipe. I halved it. Still too much for two of us.

I had high hopes for this, but in the end I was disappointed. I made half of the recipe and I followed it pretty closely. I did sub a can of diced tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes, but that was the only change I made. I was skeptical of the lengthy cooking time, so I checked it frequently. I started at a low simmer, uncovered, but after two hours a lot of the sauce had evaporated away, so I covered it for another half hour. At that point the meat was tender, but everything else was over cooked and practically falling apart. It had good flavor, but it needed more sauce. I should have covered it sooner. If I were to make this again, I would change the process by starting to cook the meat first and adding the vegetables later. I would also start cooking it covered and uncover it later to thicken the sauce.

The leftovers were just as good

Did not turn out well. Flavorless!

Was a good recipe. It was a bit bland for my tastes but would make it again and step up the spices a bit. I didn't use the wine though and didn't miss it. Biggest upside....My in-laws both thought it was a keeper. :)

The only thing I would like more, is more beef in this stew.

This is my new Go TO beef stew recipe. Not too thick, not too thin... and oh so easy. I just tossed in some frozen butternut squash cubes & extra onions. Yum!

This is a good stew - albeit, if made in a Dutch oven on the stove. I followed the recipe and agree with other reviewers, that the meat is bland. I could not get all the liquid into the crockpot, along with everything else. My crock (which is normal size) was filled to the brim. If I were to make this again, I would make it on the stove and use stew meat (fatty and more flavor); salt, pepper and flour beef; and possibly cut wine to 1 cup and use that to deglaze the pan; add salt and pepper to taste; and possibly a bay leaf. It's a good "base" recipe in which you can make many changes - beer instead of wine; turnips instead of potatoes, add peas, green beans, change seasoning, etc.

lots of work but well worth it! followed the recipe my only correction would be not to do a skillet. I used a large frying pan but I think a Dutch would be better. salt and pepper if desired.

Yummy! I did add more garlic but other than that, followed the recipe the first time.

Comfort food at it's best! Substituted 2-28oz. cans San Marzano tomatoes for fresh. Adjusted for salt and fresh ground pepper after simmering. Pair with rustic bread and zinfandel wine.

First of all if you are going to make this you need a really large frying pan and/or high capacity slow cooker. If I ever make this again I will dust the beef with flour before browning and cut the recipe in half. I followed the recipe exactly and wasn’t really impressed with the result, although my husband liked it. I just don’t think it was worth all the trouble. There are “easier” stew recipes that are just as good.

My husband and I loved this stew! I used stew meat for convenience, and I used a whole bottle of red wine (3 cups) Everything else was the same. The stew had no added salt and pepper, which is the only thing I would change next time. It made a ton of stew -- it barely fit in my biggest soup kettle -- so I don't know how they cooked it in a skillet. I froze a lot too!

My family really didn’t like this. My husband ended up adding tons of salt to his and grated cheese just to add flavor. :(

Substituted tomato paste instead of sauce, but still had a "thin" flavor to it. Not as hearty as I hoped; perhaps a diff cut of meat would help.

I didn't have mushrooms, wine or marjoram. It turned great anyway.