On a chilly evening, fill your kitchen with the comforting aroma of slow-cooked Beef stew in clay pots. Steaming slow-cooked tender beef and pots full of flavorful potatoes infused with flavor from the caramelized vegetables and meat.
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If you have made any of my Dutch oven recipes such as my Mustard Chicken drumsticks or my popular Dutch oven Chicken Quarters. You see that I truly enjoy tender meat and a flavorful recipe. This is how I discovered cooking in clay pots. It also helps how individual and cute they look. Although, you can get a RΓΆmertopf which is a large clay pot often used in German cooking.
Why use a Clay pot?
Cooking in a clay pot has been a cooking method used by many generations of many regions. In Asia, they are called chatti and are often used to cook rice dishes. In India, chefs use clay pots they call "handi". Chefs often times could cook many dishes simultaneously by stacking handi while cooking. And my other regions in South America and Africa also use clay pots for cooking recipe.
Each region has its own name for clay pots, but the reason remains the same the porosity and natural insulation that causes heat and moisture to circulate through the clay pots. Making it simple to cook tender meals with minimal oil and liquid.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Strip Steak or Ribeye- a good quality steak with fat will give you the best flavor.
- Gold Yukon potatoes- They hold their shape better than russet potatoes.
- Carrots
- Onion
- Broth- Make my Instant Pot broth for a simple hands-off method to get the most flavorful bone broth.
- Paprika
- Salt and Pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Beef: Beef can be substituted with chicken thigh meat or pork chuck roast.
- Bone broth: Feel free to use any broth of your choice; it will give a similar result. My favorite is bone broth because of the health benefits.
Dutch oven: To make this recipe in a dutch oven follow the same steps but in the dutch oven you may need to add a bit more broth. You should see broth rising up on the sides of the pot.
Slow cooker: On low for 4 hours or high for 8 hours. Follow the same steps.
Instant pot: Add 4 cups of bone broth and set to pressure cook on high for 40 minutes.
Step by step Instructions
Step 1: Season steak- Season Beef steak meat with 1 teaspoon of Salt per side (4tsp) and ΒΌ teaspoon pepper per side (1tsp). Rub seasoning into the meat and drizzle lightly with avocado oil. Set aside to absorb while you prep the other ingredients.
Step 2: Prepare the potatoes- To prepare the potatoes wash and clean them with a vegetable brush and peel the skins. Cut the clean potatoes into 2-inch cubes and place into a bowl once all potatoes are cleaned and cut season with 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and mix together so the seasonings will coat all potato pieces.
Step 3: Caramelize onion and carrots- Peel onion from skin and cut in half then slice Β½ inch slices. Then using a potato peeler clean skin on carrots and chop slices ΒΌ inch thick. Then heat a large skillet on medium heat and add sliced onions and chopped carrots and sautΓ©ed until caramelized. Set aside.
Step 4: Brown Beef Steak- Cut seasoned steak into 2-inch cubes and then in the same skillet drizzle high heat oil such as avocado oil and heat on medium-high heat. Place the steak cubes into the hot pan and brown all sides. Set aside until ready to assemble clay pots.
Step 5: Assembling clay pots- Preheat oven to 300F. Assemble ingredients in layers inside the pots starting on the bottom with the steak bites about 3-4 pieces on the bottom then a tablespoon of the caramelized carrots and onions, the seasoned potatoes, and top off with one more tablespoon of the caramelized onion and carrots. Add bone broth about ΒΌ cup in each pot you can put less but at minimum, it needs at least 1 tablespoon of liquid.
Step 6: Bake Beef stew- Place filled pots into the preheated oven. It is recommended to either place the pots on a baking sheet or add a baking sheet under them as the stew cooks in the oven it can sometimes leak liquid. Bake for up to 2 hours or until the beef is tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
Equipment Recommendation
Clay pots: I really like these personal-sized ones this set comes with 6 pots and a fork for placing in and taking out of the oven.
RΓΆmertopf: A larger 4 qt clay pot roaster.
What to serve with Beef Stew
Our Quick Garlic knots make a great side to enjoy with this Beef stew recipe.
If you are looking for a salad paring our Pickled Cabbage salad is also a great option.
Storage
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat add to a skillet with some of the liquid or in the oven at 300F for 20-25 minutes.
Expert tips
- Low and Slow: The gradual increase in temperature and the extended cooking time will allow the meat to become tender and absorb the flavors of other ingredients.
- Keep the lid on: This traps the steam and moisture, helping to maintain a consistent, moist environment within the pot.
FAQ
Yes, you can freeze leftover beef stew in a different container suitable for freezing. Just remember to cool it down completely before freezing.
Let the pot cool down naturally. Wash it with warm water and a soft brush or sponge. Avoid using harsh abrasives or dishwashers, as they can damage the clay.
Clay pots offer excellent heat retention and distribution, which leads to even cooking and enhanced flavor development. They also add a unique earthy note to the dish.
BEEF STEW IN CLAY POTS
Equipment
- 6 personal clay pots
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Beef ribeye steak or other good quality steak
- 8 Gold Yukon potatoes
- 2 carrots
- 1 yellow onion
- 1.5 cups bone broth
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
- high heat oil for frying
Instructions
- Season steak- Season Beef steak meat with 1 teaspoon of Salt per side (4tsp) and ΒΌ teaspoon pepper per side (1tsp). Rub seasoning into the meat and drizzle lightly with avocado oil. Set aside to absorb while you prep the other ingredients.
- Prepare the potatoes- To prepare the potatoes wash and clean them with a vegetable brush and peel the skins. Cut the clean potatoes into 2-inch cubes and place into a bowl once all potatoes are cleaned and cut season with 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and mix together so the seasonings will coat all potato pieces.
- Caramelize onion and carrots- Peel onion from skin and cut in half then slice Β½ inch slices. Then using a potato peeler clean skin on carrots and chop slices ΒΌ inch thick. Then heat a large skillet on medium heat and add sliced onions and chopped carrots and sautΓ©ed until caramelized. Set aside.
- Brown Beef Steak- Cut seasoned steak into 2-inch cubes and then in the same skillet drizzle high heat oil such as avocado oil and heat on medium-high heat. Place the steak cubes into the hot pan and brown all sides. Set aside until ready to assemble clay pots.
- Assembling clay pots- Preheat oven to 300F. To prepare clay pots make sure they are cleaned and if they are new and need to be seasoned follow the steps on the package for seasoning the clay pots. Assemble ingredients in layers inside the pots starting on the bottom with the steak bites about 3-4 pieces on the bottom then a tablespoon of the caramelized carrots and onions, the seasoned potatoes, and top off with one more tablespoon of the caramelized onion and carrots. Add bone broth about ΒΌ cup in each pot you can put less but at minimum, it needs at least 1 tablespoon of liquid.
- Bake Beef stew- Place filled pots into the preheated oven. It is recommended to either place the pots on a baking sheet or add a baking sheet under them as the stew cooks in the oven it can sometimes leak liquid. Bake for up to 2 hours or until the beef is tender and the potatoes are cooked.
Notes
Recipe tips:
-
- Low and Slow: The gradual increase in temperature and the extended cooking time will allow the meat to become tender and absorb the flavors of other ingredients.
-
- Keep the lid on: This traps the steam and moisture, helping to maintain a consistent, moist environment within the pot.
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