Martin's Vintage Beef Stew with Heritage Potatoes

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-04 · Updated 2026-04-04

A slow-simmered stew honoring 1920s culinary traditions, featuring heirloom potatoes and a true-to-origin beef broth that captures the essence of comfort food. This french-inspired slow cooker ready in about 195 minutes pairs beef chuck roast, medium yellow onions, medium carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 580 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast
• 2 medium yellow onions
• 3 medium carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.25 lbs heirloom potatoes
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Step 1: Trim excess fat from 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast and cut into 1.5-inch cubes. Pat dry with paper towels, then toss with 3 tbsp all-purpose flour until evenly coated.
2. Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef cubes in batches until deeply browned on all sides (3-4 minutes per batch), transferring to a plate as done.
3. Step 3: Add 2 diced yellow onions, 3 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring frequently.
4. Step 4: Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 tbsp tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly and becomes aromatic.
5. Step 5: Return beef to the pot, add 4 cups beef broth, 4 fresh thyme sprigs, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low.
6. Step 6: Simmer uncovered for 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is fork-tender and broth has thickened slightly.
7. Step 7: While stew simmers, peel and cut 1.25 lbs heirloom potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Boil in salted water for 12 minutes until tender but holding shape.
8. Step 8: Add potatoes to the stew during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Stir in 1 tbsp unsalted butter and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley just before serving.