Balsamic Beef Stew

I am NOT a soup/stew person.

But O.M.G. this is one of the most delicious things I have ever put in my mouth.

You all know how much I love balsamic…. Why did no one ever tell me you can put it in a stew and it will actually TASTE GOOD?!?!

Nothing beats the warmth that this stew brings to your tummy when you eat it. Especially when paired with a piece of bread or, like, a whole loaf of bread.

I imagine this would be a great dish to make as Hurricane Sandy begins to roll in on the east coast. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to be in the path of this storm right now. I am getting nervous butterflies and I am safely stowed away in a landlocked state. I kept checking CNN following the updates and reading the posts of fellow bloggers as everyone prepared for the storm to hit Monday night.

All I can say is my heart goes out to all the people on the east coast who are in the throes/aftermath of the storm right now.

If I could make massive amounts of this stew and bring it out to everyone on the east coast who are hunkering down to withstand the storm, I would in a heartbeat.

Balsamic Beef Stew

Ingredients

2 lbs. beef chuck, cut into bite-size pieces

3 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 red onion, diced

2 bay leaves

1 sprig fresh rosemary

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup red wine

2 cups beef broth

5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

3 Tablespoons water

3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Place beef in a large plastic zipper bag. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Shake until beef is coated with flour.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Add the onions to the pot, adding more oil if needed. Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Add the beef back to pot. Add red wine and beef broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low.

Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until beef is fork tender. Add the carrots and cook for another 30 minutes more.

In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water. Add to stew and bring to a bubble. Add balsamic vinegar. Serve.

*Recipe adapted from Baked Bree

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