Brisket Beef Stew with Wild Rice & Vegetables
I could eat this brisket beef stew every single day. Loaded with wild rice, vegetables, fresh herbs, and a savory red wine broth, it's cozy, decadent, and beyond flavorful. Save this recipe for dinner parties with friends, family dinners, or chilly nights in!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brisket flat cut (900 grams)
- Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons neutral oil - avocado, canola, etc. (28 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (15 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (14 grams)
- 1 large sweet onion, diced (2 1/2 cups / 280 grams)
- 5 large carrots, peeled & cut into 1-inch chunks (1 1/2 cups / 215 grams)
- 3 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (1 1/4 cups / 140 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (4 large cloves)
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 small bunch of fresh thyme
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste (36 grams)
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (120 grams)
- 6 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed (1.4 liters)
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (15 grams)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup wild rice, rinsed well (180 grams)
- 3/4 cup frozen peas (127 grams)
Equipment
- Dutch oven (or a large oven-safe pot with a lid)
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Tongs
- Fine mesh sieve
Instructions
Sear the beef
- Trim the fat cap on top of the brisket until it's about 1/4-inch thick. Discard the extra fat. Then, cut the brisket into 3-4 steaks that are about 1 1/2-2 inches thick. Pat the steaks dry and season all sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Then, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it's very hot and shimmering. Sear the steaks until they have a dark brown crust, about 2-3 minutes per side. Work in batches, if needed. (You don't want to over-crowd the pot or the beef will steam instead of sear.) Then, let the steaks rest for about 10 minutes.
- After the steaks have rested, slice them into 1-2 inch cubes. Toss the beef cubes with the all-purpose flour until the flour is mostly dissolved. Set aside.
Make the stew
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Return the Dutch oven to the stove. Melt the butter over medium-high heat. Then, add the onions, carrots, celery, and a big pinch of salt. Sauté the veggies just until they're slightly softened and starting to brown on the edges. Spoon the veggies into a bowl. Let them cool, cover, and refrigerate for later.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste is dark red and the herbs are fragrant.
- Deglaze the Dutch oven with the red wine. Simmer, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until the wine is reduced by half.
- Next, add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and the seared brisket along with any leftover juices. Stir well and bring the stew to a gentle boil.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Cover the Dutch oven, tilting the lid so steam can escape. Place the pot in the oven and braise for 2 1/2-3 hours, until the brisket is very tender. If the brisket is not tender after 3 hours, give it another 30 minutes.
Add the rice & veggies
- Once the brisket is fork tender, carefully remove the pot from the oven and return it to the stovetop. If the liquid has reduced too much, pour another cup of beef broth into the stew.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, rinse the wild rice until the water runs clear, about 1-2 minutes. Add the rinsed wild rice and reserved veggies along with any juices to the stew.
- Bring the stew to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Gently simmer the rice according to the package directions, about 45-50 minutes.
- Right before serving, stir the frozen peas into the stew until they're warmed through. Discard the bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If you can only find large briskets, ask the butcher at the meat counter to cut it down to the amount you need. Or, vacuum seal leftover brisket and freeze it for future recipes!
I like to use J. Kenji López-Alt's tip of searing steaks before cutting the meat into chunks. The beef gets a gorgeous brown crust but also comes out nice and juicy.
It's important to coat the beef cubes in flour until the flour completely dissolves. It's the best way to thicken the broth without ending up with lumps of flour.
I always recommend braising stew in a Dutch oven if you have one! The thick cast iron helps lock in heat and moisture. The heat retention is amazing for slow cooking, leading to meat is nice and tender.
Adjust the cooking time as needed. You want to braise the stew until the meat is fork-tender. It may take as little as 2 hours and up to 3 1/2 hours.
It's important to keep the beef moist through the braising process so it comes out fork-tender. If you notice the stew is starting to reduce too much in the oven, add more beef broth as needed.
For a soupier consistency, feel free to add more beef broth. Just don't go overboard or you'll end up with a flavorless stew.
Add the seared veggies just for the last 45 minutes of cooking. If you braise the veggies with the stew, they'll end up over-cooked. At 45 minutes, they'll come out tender but not mushy!
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 481kcal, Carbohydrates: 34.6g, Protein: 49.9g, Fat: 13.8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 379mg, Potassium: 805mg, Fiber: 4.8g, Sugar: 6.3g, Calcium: 72mg, Iron: 5mg
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