comfort food essentials: awesome beef & brat stew

Recipe by
Andy Anderson !
Wichita, KS

Autumn is in the air. While I was sitting outside this morning, it was cool enough to see your breath. I even had to turn on one of the IR heaters… With Fall approaching, I begin to turn my attention to more hardy fare, and soups, stews, and chilies are at the top of that list. This is a fun recipe to make, packs a lot of punch, and will warm you up on even the coldest of days. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.

yield serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 2 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For comfort food essentials: awesome beef & brat stew

  • PLAN/PURCHASE
  • 1 1/2 lb
    charcoal steak, cut into bite-size cubes
  • 1/4 c
    flour, all-purpose variety
  • salt, kosher variety, to taste
  • black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
  • grapeseed oil, for browning the beef
  • 2 md
    brats, cut into thick slices, i used johnsonville, about 8 ounces
  • 1 c
    beer
  • 1 c
    beef stock
  • 1 c
    filtered water
  • 2 tsp
    ground cumin
  • 2 tsp
    dehydrated onions, ground to a powder
  • 1 tsp
    dried oregano
  • 1 tsp
    dried parsley flakes
  • 1 tsp
    dried basil
  • 2 - 3 md
    dried bay leaves
  • 1 lb
    small golden potatoes, halved or quartered
  • 2 md
    carrots, thickly cut on the bias
  • 1 md
    yellow onion, peeled and thickly sliced
  • 2 md
    celery ribs, thickly cut on the bias
  • OPTIONAL ITEMS
  • cayenne pepper, for heat
  • red-pepper flakes, for heat
  • a bit more cumin, you can never have enough cumin
  • freshly baked (still warm) crusty french bread

How To Make comfort food essentials: awesome beef & brat stew

  • 1
    PREP/PREPARE
  • 2
    I am using charcoal steak for the recipe, because they have a lot of flavor, and tenderize well in the braise liquid.
  • 3
    To give this recipe more of a deep flavor, I am using homemade bone broth, in place of the beef stock. If you are looking for a simple recipe to make bone broth, check this one out. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/soup/beef-soup/cooking-essentials-beef-bone-marrow-broth.html?r=3
  • 4
    Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
  • 5
    Place a rack in the bottom position, and preheat the oven to 350f (175c).
  • 6
    Add the flour; along with some salt and pepper, to a bowl.
  • 7
    Add the cubed beef, and toss to coat.
  • 8
    Add about a tablespoon of grapeseed oil to a heavy-bottomed pot, over medium-to-medium-high heat.
  • 9
    Add half the flour-coated beef, and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 – 7 minutes
  • 10
    When nice and brown, remove and reserve.
  • 11
    Add a bit more grapeseed oil to the pot, then brown the remainder of the beef, and reserve.
  • 12
    Add the sliced brats, slightly brown, and then add to the reserved beef.
  • 13
    Reduce the heat to medium, remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan, and then add the onions.
  • 14
    Stir until they begin to soften, about 3 – 4 minutes.
  • 15
    Deglaze the pot by pouring in the beer, and allowing it to simmer for 2 – 3 minutes.
  • 16
    Chef’s Note: While the beer is simmering, use a wooden spoon to scrape up the fonds that have developed on the bottom of the pot.
  • 17
    Add the sliced brats, the reserved beef, the beef stock, water, the dry spices, and then bring up to a simmer.
  • 18
    Cover, and place into the preheated oven for 1 hour.
  • 19
    While the stew is baking, prep the veggies.
  • 20
    After 1 hour, add the veggies to the pot, give it a stir, and put back into the oven, until the beef is tender, and the veggies are cooked, an additional 45 – 60 minutes.
  • 21
    Chef’s Note: While you have the pot out of the oven, give it a taste, and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
  • 22
    Chef’s Tip: The veggies will be ready when they can be easily pierced with a paring knife.
  • 23
    Chef’s Note: Do not forget to remove the bay leaves, and do a final tasting for proper seasoning, before serving.
  • 24
    PLATE/PRESENT
  • So yummy
    25
    Serve in big bowls, with some crusty bread to sop up all those amazing juices. Enjoy.
  • 26
    Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

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