comfort food essentials: awesome beef & brat stew
Autumn is in the air. While I was sitting outside this morning, it was cool enough to see your breath. I even had to turn on one of the IR heaters… With Fall approaching, I begin to turn my attention to more hardy fare, and soups, stews, and chilies are at the top of that list. This is a fun recipe to make, packs a lot of punch, and will warm you up on even the coldest of days. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.
prep time
20 Min
cook time
2 Hr
method
Bake
yield
Several
Ingredients
- PLAN/PURCHASE
- 1 1/2 pounds charcoal steak, cut into bite-size cubes
- 1/4 cup flour, all-purpose variety
- - salt, kosher variety, to taste
- - black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- - grapeseed oil, for browning the beef
- 2 medium brats, cut into thick slices, i used johnsonville, about 8 ounces
- 1 cup beer
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup filtered water
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dehydrated onions, ground to a powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 - 3 medium dried bay leaves
- 1 pound small golden potatoes, halved or quartered
- 2 medium carrots, thickly cut on the bias
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thickly sliced
- 2 medium celery ribs, thickly cut on the bias
- OPTIONAL ITEMS
- - cayenne pepper, for heat
- - red-pepper flakes, for heat
- - a bit more cumin, you can never have enough cumin
- - freshly baked (still warm) crusty french bread
How To Make comfort food essentials: awesome beef & brat stew
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Step 1PREP/PREPARE
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Step 2I am using charcoal steak for the recipe, because they have a lot of flavor, and tenderize well in the braise liquid.
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Step 3To give this recipe more of a deep flavor, I am using homemade bone broth, in place of the beef stock. If you are looking for a simple recipe to make bone broth, check this one out. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/soup/beef-soup/cooking-essentials-beef-bone-marrow-broth.html?r=3
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Step 4Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
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Step 5Place a rack in the bottom position, and preheat the oven to 350f (175c).
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Step 6Add the flour; along with some salt and pepper, to a bowl.
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Step 7Add the cubed beef, and toss to coat.
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Step 8Add about a tablespoon of grapeseed oil to a heavy-bottomed pot, over medium-to-medium-high heat.
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Step 9Add half the flour-coated beef, and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 – 7 minutes
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Step 10When nice and brown, remove and reserve.
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Step 11Add a bit more grapeseed oil to the pot, then brown the remainder of the beef, and reserve.
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Step 12Add the sliced brats, slightly brown, and then add to the reserved beef.
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Step 13Reduce the heat to medium, remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan, and then add the onions.
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Step 14Stir until they begin to soften, about 3 – 4 minutes.
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Step 15Deglaze the pot by pouring in the beer, and allowing it to simmer for 2 – 3 minutes.
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Step 16Chef’s Note: While the beer is simmering, use a wooden spoon to scrape up the fonds that have developed on the bottom of the pot.
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Step 17Add the sliced brats, the reserved beef, the beef stock, water, the dry spices, and then bring up to a simmer.
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Step 18Cover, and place into the preheated oven for 1 hour.
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Step 19While the stew is baking, prep the veggies.
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Step 20After 1 hour, add the veggies to the pot, give it a stir, and put back into the oven, until the beef is tender, and the veggies are cooked, an additional 45 – 60 minutes.
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Step 21Chef’s Note: While you have the pot out of the oven, give it a taste, and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
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Step 22Chef’s Tip: The veggies will be ready when they can be easily pierced with a paring knife.
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Step 23Chef’s Note: Do not forget to remove the bay leaves, and do a final tasting for proper seasoning, before serving.
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Step 24PLATE/PRESENT
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Step 25Serve in big bowls, with some crusty bread to sop up all those amazing juices. Enjoy.
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Step 26Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
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