Beef stew with mushrooms is a hearty comforting dish, one of the many homemade recipes that have become part of the great classics of Italian cuisine.
In fact, this Beef stew is typical of traditional Italian cucina povera as well as Veal Stew with Potatoes. Italian beef stew with mushrooms retains all the flavor and aromas of the past and is a real pleasure for the palate.
Italian beef stew is slow cooked so that the meat becomes tender and you get a sauce-like consistency. You can use its sauce to season pasta and it’s a complete single dish if served with a steaming Polenta!
Make this slow cooker beef stew ahead of time, because the next day it’s even tastier!
You will love its extraordinary scent and its genuine flavor!
See also:
- Beef Brased in Barolo
- Classic Italian Meatloaf recipe
- Veal Milanese recipe
- Saltimbocca alla Romana | Roman-Style Veal Scallops
- Chicken Cacciatore Recipe | Pollo alla Cacciatora
How to Make Italian Beef stew with mushrooms
- Prep Time: 15 Min
- Cook Time: 2 H and 30 Min
- Yelds:4
Ingredients
- 600 g (1,3 pounds) of beef Chuck or Round
- 350 g (12,5 oz ) of a variety of cleaned mushrooms such as Botton and Cremini
- 1 small carrot
- 1/2 stick of celery
- 1 small onion
- 30 g (2 tablespoons) of chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup of dry red wine
- 500 ml (2 cups) of meat broth or vegetable stock
- 400 ml (1 3/4 cups ) of tomato passata
- 6 tablespoons of Extra virgin olive oil.
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon of fine salt
Directions
Step 1) – First of all, clean and chop the carrot, celery and onion. Sauté them in a pan with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil for about 3 minutes over low heat.
Step 2) – Add the meat cut into cubes of about three centimeters (about 1 inch) and let it brown evenly over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Turn the meat with a wooden spoon so as not to pierce it and not to let the juices come out. Raise the heat a little, add the red wine and let it evaporate.
Step 3) – Then lower the heat and add the tomato passata. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Then pour one or two ladles of hot stock and put the lid on.
Cook for about 2 hours over low heat. The meat should become very soft and should break easily when staked with a fork. If the sauce dries too much during cooking, add more stock so that the meat is always covered with it.
Now, while the meat is cooking in the tomato sauce, let’s take care of the mushrooms.
How to Prepare the Mushrooms
In this case we used a handy mix of fresh mushrooms, already cleaned and sliced.
If you have to clean whole mushrooms, cut off the final part of the stem with the earth, and clean them with a damp cloth or a brush. Then cut them into slices. Don’t wash the mushrooms in water: they would lose much of their flavor and absorb a lot of water like a sponge.
Step 4) – In a frying pan, sauté the garlic in oil, peeled and whole. Then add the mushrooms and the chopped parsley. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Salt lightly.
Step 5) – When the beef has finished cooking, remove the garlic cloves and then add the mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes. mixing the meat well with the mushrooms. At the end, add a little more chopped fresh parsley to taste. Before you serve it, taste the stew and add more salt if you think it needs it.
Italian Beef Stew with Mushrooms is ready! Enjoy hot with your favorite Italian bread or with a steaming soft Polenta!
Storage
You can keep beef stew with mushrooms in the refrigerator for up to two days. In the freezer for two months in airtight containers.
What is the Best Cut of Meat for Beef Stew?
For a tasty beef stew it’s better to use less valuable cuts of meat, perfect for slow cooking.
The pieces of meat that come from the shoulder, neck, belly and also some parts of the thigh are the best. They can be cooked over low heat for more than two hours.
The best cuts for a beef stew are Round and Chuck.
The Chuck is the neck of the bovine. In Italy it roughly corresponds to two cuts: “Reale” and “Cappello del Prete“. It’s a second-rate cut, rich in connective tissue and fat. The Italian culinary tradition considers it excellent for boiled meats and stewed dishes.
The Round corresponds to the thigh of the beef. The main cuts of Round are Knuckle Round (“Noce” in Italy) and Top Round (“Fesa” in Italy). These cuts are suitable for those who prefer a leaner meat stew, with less connective tissue.
What Kind of Mushrooms to Use for Beef Stew
For this recipe we have chosen a variety of freshly cleaned mushrooms, mainly Cremini and Botton. They are very common and not expensive with a very good taste.
Of course, you can use the type of mushroom you prefer. Use common mushrooms that you can find all year round. During the fall season, if you can choose fresh Porcini mushrooms. They give your beef stew a unique and special flavor!
You can for sure use even dried or frozen mushrooms. The result will certainly be exceptional following the instructions for their preparation!
