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A detailed close-up of tender beef and vegetables in a savory apple cider gravy, a key part of this Dutch oven beef stew.

Apple Cider Beef Stew: The Ultimate Comfort Meal

This Apple Cider Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food, featuring tender beef and hearty vegetables in a rich, savory gravy with a hint of sweet apple cider. A perfect one-pot meal for chilly evenings.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 3 lbs beef chuck cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 3 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 stalks celery sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups apple cider unfiltered and unsweetened
  • 3 cups beef broth low-sodium
  • 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
  • 1 Wooden Spoon

Instructions
 

  1. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss the beef in flour until lightly coated. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches until deeply browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Pour in the apple cider, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce by half. Return the beef to the pot.
  4. Add the beef broth, potatoes, sweet potatoes, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a low simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2.5-3 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.
  5. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Skim any excess fat from the surface. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Notes

For an even richer flavor, prepare the stew a day in advance and reheat it before serving.
If the stew is not as thick as you'd like, you can create a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stirring it into the stew during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
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