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    Home » Recipes » Soups and Stews

    Grandpa Henderson's Classic Old Fashioned Stovetop Beef Stew

    Modified: Sep 16, 2024 · Published: Feb 12, 2024 by Ashley

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    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 2 reviews

    My grandpa made the BEST old-fashioned stovetop beef stew! This hearty recipe makes for a perfect, cozy comfort food dinner. It makes a big batch, tastes even better the next day, and freezes beautifully. This tomato-based recipe has been a hit with Big Flavors readers for many, many years now.

    Two bowls of old fashioned beef stew with sliced bread served alongside.

    I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as a child. It was in their kitchen in Indiana that I learned to cook and bake by doing it alongside them.

    My grandma did most of the cooking and all of the baking (like these classic cut-out sugar cookies and this Dutch apple pie), but there were a few things that my grandpa made regularly that I loved. This beef stew was absolutely one of those things!

    This recipe is one that I learned from him and then tweaked a bit to make it for my family. The main differences between my version and his are that he added cabbage and sometimes corn to his stew, and I add peas to mine.

    If you're interested in learning more about modernizing old family recipes, check out episode 3 of my podcast where we dive deeper into this topic.

    Jump to:
    • 🧡 Why we love this recipe
    • 📝 Ingredients
    • 🥕 Root veggies: to peel or not to peel?
    • 🥣 Substitutions
    • 📌 Tips
    • ✅ How to make this recipe
    • 📝 Streamlining beef stew prep
    • 💡 What to serve with beef stew
    • 🥡 Storage recommendations
    • 🍽️ Still hungry? You may also like...
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🧡 Why we love this recipe

    • It makes a big batch!
    • The house smells incredible while it simmers away on the stovetop.
    • It tastes better the next day.
    • The components for this recipe can be prepped in advance, reducing the amount of hands-on time you need the day you plan to cook.
    • Beef stew is one of those recipes that freezes beautifully, making a homemade dinner easy to have at a future point in time in just minutes.
    • It reminds me of my grandpa, and my husband says it also reminds him of the beef stew that his grandma used to make.

    📝 Ingredients

    Here's everything you need to make this classic beef stew (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

    Ingredients ready to make beef stew.
    • Olive oil, for browning the meat
    • Beef stew meat - I often buy a full roast, like a chuck roast, and cut it into bite-sized pieces. When buying pre-cut "beef stew meat", I typically cut it into even smaller pieces.
    • Green bell peppers
    • Carrots
    • Onions - I usually use yellow onions here, but white onions would also work.
    • Celery
    • Tomato juice
    • Beef broth - I like using an unsalted or low-sodium variety.
    • Ketchup
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Garlic powder
    • Dark brown sugar - pack it into the measuring cup.
    • Ground black pepper
    • Hot sauce - Grandpa always used Tabasco hot sauce. I usually use Crystal hot sauce.
    • Dried parsley
    • Russet potatoes - up until recently, I'd use 3 in this recipe, but I've found that 2 is plenty.
    • Pearl barley
    • Frozen sweet peas
    Scooping up a serving of beef stew with a ladle.
    Two bowls of old fashioned beef stew.

    🥕 Root veggies: to peel or not to peel?

    Many recipes, like this one, call for root vegetables. A lot of recipes indicate that these veggies should be peeled as part of the prep process, but is that really necessary?

    Peeled veggies may look "prettier" when it comes to aesthetics, but in most cases, I recommend not bothering to peel them. Giving your root veggies a good scrub with a vegetable brush to get rid of any dirt or germs is sufficient.

    The skins and peels of vegetables contain lots of nutrients and fiber that are good for your body. In my opinion, more nutritional value, less prep work, and a reduction of food waste makes leaving them unpeeled a win-win-win!

    If your veggies are looking particularly sad or you don't enjoy eating the peel, go ahead and remove it. It all comes down to personal preference.

    Adding peas to a pot of beef stew.

    🥣 Substitutions

    Feel free to switch up the veggies in this recipe. If you don't like potatoes, leave them out! You can replace them with another veggie that you like.

    You can also add additional veggies that you have on hand to help use them up and minimize food waste.

    My grandpa used to cut up green cabbage and add it to his beef stew. He also would sometimes add canned or frozen corn.

    There's no right or wrong answer here - just be sure to give the veggies enough time to cook through while the stew simmers away.

    Cutting a beef chuck roast into chunks for beef stew.
    Slice beef roast into even pieces, about 1 and ½ inches wide.
    Cutting a beef chuck roast into chunks for beef stew.
    Turn the slices and cut into even cubes.

    📌 Tips

    The exact size of the pieces you cut your beef stew meat into isn't important. I usually aim for somewhere around an inch and a half cubes.

    This means they're small enough that they're bite-sized, and there are a lot of pieces throughout the pot of beef stew.

    Adding beef cubes to a pot.
    Add the beef cubes to the hot oil in your stock pot.
    Browning beef cubes in a stock pot.
    Stir the beef to get it brown on all sides.
    Beef stew meat browning in a stock pot.
    Once the beef is browned, you can move on to adding veggies, liquid, & spices.

    You could absolutely brown the meat in batches to really get a good sear on the outside of each piece of beef. I find this unnecessary, personally.

    I like to just put all of the beef cubes into the hot oil in the pot and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is brown on all sides.

    This is going to be simmering for a few hours, so it'll be super tender when it's done cooking. Getting a "crust" on the outside isn't something that I find worth the time it would take.

    ✅ How to make this recipe

    1. Brown beef in a large stock pot.
    2. Add bell peppers, carrots, onions, celery, tomato juice, beef broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, brown sugar, black pepper, hot sauce, and dried parsley and stir to combine.
    3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
    4. Add potatoes and barley and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
    5. Taste for seasoning and add salt, if needed.

    See recipe card below for full instructions.

    Slicing celery.
    Dicing a yellow onion.

    📝 Streamlining beef stew prep

    When prepping this beef stew, I like to do one of 2 things. I’ll either prep everything the day before or chop my veggies while the meat is browning. Both of these things save time in different ways.

    If I’m prepping and cooking at the same time, I find that chopping the veggies while the meat is browning in the pan gives me just the right amount of time.

    You don’t have to get your meat super brown – I don’t get finicky and do it in batches or anything. Just a few stirs until the outer edges are mostly browned before adding the other ingredients.

    If I’m prepping the day before I plan to cook, I’ll go ahead and cut the beef into smaller chunks and put it all into a container, pop the lid on, and put it into the fridge.

    I cut up all the veggies and put them in a sealed container in the fridge, too, keeping the potatoes separate since they go in at a later point in the recipe.

    Cutting potatoes for beef stew.
    Cut your potatoes into consistently sized cubes.
    Covering a bowl of diced potatoes with water.
    Place the potatoes in a container and cover with cold water.
    Putting a lid on a bowl of diced potatoes in water.
    Cover the soaking potatoes with a lid and place in the refrigerator.

    If you cut up your potatoes ahead of time, be sure to put them in a container and cover them with cold water before refrigerating them. This will ensure they don’t get brown and funky before you get around to using them.

    When you add them to your pot of stew, be sure to drain the water off first. The liquid was just there to help keep the potatoes from oxidizing.

    I find that this prep-in-advance method really helps when it comes to saving time. This beef stew recipe isn’t super involved, but the chopping takes a bit of time, and I’m all about making things easier for "future me" whenever possible.

    Adding garlic powder to a pot of beef stew.
    Tomato juice, beef broth, and seasonings simmer together, covered, for 2 hours.
    Stirring potatoes and barley into a pot of beef stew.
    Add the potatoes and barley and simmer for another 45 minutes.

    💡 What to serve with beef stew

    Beef stew is pretty much a meal all on its own. My grandpa always served it with bread and butter. He'd just use sandwich bread and it was delicious!

    I'll often either buy or make a nice loaf of sourdough or ciabatta to go with the stew. It's great for dunking!

    Two bowls of old fashioned beef stew with sliced bread served alongside.

    🥡 Storage recommendations

    One of my very favorite parts of this beef stew is enjoying it as leftovers! It tastes even better the day after you've made it, and it freezes beautifully!

    For freezing, I like using Souper Cubes - they're silicone trays that have portioned measurements on them. I have the one-cup size and they get a ton of use!

    I typically fill the four portions with stew, freeze overnight, and then transfer the frozen stew into a freezer bag. Whenever I want to have beef stew again, I'll either thaw a portion in the fridge or just heat it up in the microwave or stovetop.

    I vacuum-seal my bags of stew cubes with my Foodsaver, but you don't need to do that if you don't have one. Just be sure to get as much air out of the bag as possible to help prevent freezer burn.

    Spoonful of old fashioned beef stew.

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    Print

    📖 Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Two bowls of old fashioned beef stew with sliced bread served alongside.

    Grandpa Henderson's Classic Old Fashioned Stove Top Beef Stew

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
    • Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli (Adapted from Roy Henderson)
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
    • Yield: 8-10 servings
    • Category: Soups & Stews
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    My grandpa made the BEST old-fashioned stovetop beef stew! This hearty recipe makes for a perfect, cozy comfort food dinner. It makes a big batch, tastes even better the next day, and freezes beautifully. This tomato-based recipe has been a hit with Big Flavors readers for many, many years now.


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2-3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized cubes
    • 2 green bell peppers, diced
    • 5 carrots, sliced
    • 2 medium onions, diced
    • 3 stalks celery, sliced
    • 1 (32-ounce) jar tomato juice (regular or low sodium)
    • 1 (32-ounce) box unsalted or low sodium beef broth
    • ¼ cup ketchup
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 10 dashes hot sauce
    • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
    • 2 russet potatoes, diced
    • 1 cup barley
    • 2 cups frozen sweet peas
    • Kosher salt, as needed

    Instructions

    1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides.
    2. Add ingredients through parsley and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low, cover, and let simmer, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
    3. Add potatoes and barley and simmer, covered for 45 minutes. Add peas and cook for another 15 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

    Equipment

    Image of ladle

    ladle

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    Image of pearl barley

    pearl barley

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    Image of Worcestershire sauce

    Worcestershire sauce

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    Notes

    I like to cut the veggies while the beef is browning if I'm cooking it the same day I'm prepping. See notes in my post above for tips on prepping in advance, advice on cutting the meat, vegetable tips, and more!

    This beef stew tastes even better the next day. It also freezes really well, making it a great candidate for future comfort food meals without additional cooking!

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 428
    • Sugar: 15.5 g
    • Sodium: 870.2 mg
    • Fat: 9.2 g
    • Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
    • Carbohydrates: 55.9 g
    • Fiber: 10.3 g
    • Protein: 33.9 g
    • Cholesterol: 74.8 mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @bigflavors on Instagram and hashtag it #cookbigflavors

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sophie

      December 17, 2008 at 11:42 am

      Delicious stew, I could use a bowl of this on a cold day like today :D. I'd like to feature your recipe on our blog, please let me know if you're interested!

      Sophie, Key Ingredient Chief Blogger
      [email protected]

      Reply
    2. Ashley

      December 19, 2008 at 12:05 am

      Sure! Everyone should be able to make stew this comforting at home 🙂

      Reply
    3. Courtney

      January 10, 2010 at 3:30 pm

      That looks amazing! 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!!

      Reply
    4. Trish

      January 10, 2010 at 6:23 pm

      Yummers....nothing like a good old fashioned beef stew in the winter! That does look terrific! Too bad I have a meatloaf in the oven but maybe another night this week.

      Reply
    5. Jhonny walker

      January 11, 2010 at 12:50 am

      The soup looks tremendous!! Only I might do it with chicken..will work..won't it? 🙂

      Reply
    6. Sharon

      January 11, 2010 at 1:13 am

      looks so comforting shand hearty!

      Reply
    7. Luigi

      January 11, 2010 at 9:14 am

      Perfect for this time of year! Looks lovely...

      Reply
    8. lorhen82

      December 18, 2010 at 10:13 pm

      One of my favorites! It's great having some recipes that are handed down through the family!

      Reply
    9. dining table

      December 20, 2010 at 3:09 am

      What a very nice stew recipe this is! I definitely like it! I should try this one out.

      Reply
    10. Helene

      December 21, 2010 at 7:46 pm

      I love those vintage recipes from family. That is surely delicious.

      Reply
    11. Velva

      December 24, 2010 at 5:29 pm

      This beef stew looks awesome. An absolutely soul satisfying dish.

      Happy Holidays.
      Velva

      Reply
    12. Velva

      December 24, 2010 at 5:30 pm

      This beef stew looks awesome. An absolutely soul satisfying dish.

      Happy Holidays.
      Velva

      Reply
    13. Medifast Coupon

      January 03, 2011 at 3:08 pm

      This stew is perfect for a winters day, and a recipe that is passed down always tastes great!

      Reply
    14. Kathy Shea Mormino

      November 28, 2012 at 9:36 am

      I would like to invite you to join me at the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week! http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/11/clever-chicks-blog-hop-10.html

      I hope you can make it!
      Cheers,
      Kathy Shea Mormino
      The Chicken Chick

      Reply
      • crappaw

        April 22, 2024 at 6:20 pm

        where are the turnips, rutabaga, and parsnips?
        That is what makes the GREAT.

        Reply
        • Ashley

          April 23, 2024 at 12:45 pm

          I've never had beef stew with those ingredients included, but I love them in chicken noodle soup! You can absolutely add/subtract veggies to fit your preferences with this recipe - this is just my riff on my grandpa's recipe.

          Reply
    15. Larry

      May 09, 2013 at 4:41 pm

      Grandma's anything is always at the top of my list.

      Reply
      • Ashley

        May 10, 2013 at 12:38 pm

        I couldn't agree more! 🙂

        Reply
        • Kate

          November 01, 2021 at 7:11 pm

          Just curious, is the addition of hot sauce part of your Grandpas Original recipe or yours , which brands do he/you use

          Reply
          • Ashley

            November 01, 2021 at 7:23 pm

            You know, I honestly don’t remember if he used it or not! If he did, he would have used Tabasco. I usually use Cholula.

            Reply
            • Katie

              November 02, 2021 at 2:43 am

              Thankyou for your speedy reply Ashley much appreciated , in a bit of a food rut looking to try something different , just asking as there's not too many varieties of American hot sauces in Australia but we definitely have Tabasco and Cholula so this helps a lot , thanks again

            • Ashley

              November 02, 2021 at 7:47 am

              I’m so glad it was helpful! Let me know what you think of it when you give it a try, Katie!

    16. Laura @MotherWouldKnow

      December 06, 2016 at 1:35 pm

      I love the idea of cooking from family recipes and bet your grandpa would be bursting with pride if he knew what you've made:)

      Reply
    17. Allie R Taylor

      December 06, 2016 at 8:54 pm

      Amazing this takes only 3 hours to cook and looks so hearty, Ashley. Would love to try this on a cold, snowy day. Which we actually had yesterday! Have a great week!

      Reply
    18. Rachel

      February 02, 2019 at 1:26 pm

      Amazing!! One of the few things I’ve made that all 4 family members would eat. And the leftovers were great in a thermos for work and school!!

      Definitely a keeper!

      Reply
      • Ashley

        February 05, 2019 at 3:07 pm

        I'm so glad your family enjoys this, Rachel! It can be tricky to find meals that EVERYONE loves. The leftovers from this one are my FAVORITE 🙂

        Reply
    19. Lori H

      October 03, 2022 at 9:38 am

      This is my favorite beef stew ever!! It's such a great comfort food for the fall and winter seasons.

      Reply
      • Ashley

        October 10, 2022 at 2:59 pm

        I agree!! And leftovers are even better than the day that you make it (and with MUCH less work, too! Ha!)

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

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