Beef Stew San Martino Style

Hearty and easy to make beef stew recipe that's perfect for warming your soul after a long week of feeding cattle and horses in the snow. Try it in a slow cooker.

Winters in Galicia and specially in the village of San Martino can be brutal. A hearty beef or pork stew slowly cooked over several hours warmed up not only kitchen but our stomachs and hearts. Coming from the fields after a day of being harassed by the northern winds, sitting at a candle lit table, a bowl of this stew and strong wine completed a wonderful day in God’s earth and got the body ready for a good night of rest ready to be abused the next day once again. Not much different that our good vineyard farmers in West Texas where our noble grapes come from.

Category : Soups & Stews

5 pounds boneless beef chuck cut into 2-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 large carrots cut into chunks
3 celery ribs, diced
2 medium sweet onions, diced
8 garlic cloves diced
1 cup of diced tomatoes
2 cups of tomato sauce
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine
2 cups of Port wine
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
2 thyme sprigs
3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
3 cups of dry white wine
1 1/2 pounds carrots
1 lb baby Bella mushrooms
2 medium Potatoes and 2 large carrots cut into chunks for finishing

Pat beef dry and season with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown meat, without crowding, in 3 batches, turning, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter. Reduce heat to medium, then add carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 12 minutes.

Push vegetables to one side of pot. Add tomato paste to cleared area and cook paste, stirring, 2 minutes, then stir into vegetables. Add vinegar and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in all wine, bay leaves, and thyme and boil until 10 minutes.

Add broth to pot along with beef, and any juices from platter and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise in oven until meat is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Set a large colander in a large bowl. Pour stew into colander. Return pieces of meat to pot, then discard remaining solids. Let cooking liquid stand 10 minutes. Add finishing potatoes and carrots to stew (make sure they are submerged) and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 40 minutes.

NOTE: This dish is best when done the previous day and slowly re-heated 24 hrs later and served with crusty bread and a bottle of San Martino Cabenert Sauvignon.