8 Simple Ways to Cook Delicious and Tender Beef Stew | Mytour

Simple Traditional Beef Stew Recipe to Make at Home

Depending on your preference, you can follow a traditional beef stew recipe using seasoning packets or without. However, both methods are straightforward and easy to execute, as outlined below:

Traditional Beef Stew Recipe Using Seasoning Packets

Ingredients

• Beef: 500g.
• Pork Bones: 1 kg.
• Beef Stew Seasoning: 1 packet.
• Oil: 1 bottle.
• Onions: 2 bulbs.
• Carrot: 1 piece.
• Lemongrass: 5 stalks.
• Cilantro, cinnamon, garlic, shallots, bean sprouts, chili: Sufficient amount.
• Seasonings: Salt, pepper, sugar,...

Instructions

Preparation Guide

• Clean the beef thoroughly, cut it into medium-sized squares for cooking. Avoid cutting it too small as the meat may shrink during cooking.
• Chop the lemongrass into short segments and crush lightly.
• Mince the potatoes.
• Peel and slice the carrots into wedges.
• Peel the shallots and cut them into wedge shapes.

Step 2: Marinate the Meat

• Marinate the beef with finely chopped garlic and shallots, mix well with the seasoning packet, gently massage, and marinate for about 30 minutes.
• Prepare a pot of boiling water to blanch the pork bones, to remove impurities, ensuring a cleaner and tastier broth.
• Once the water is boiling and impurities have been removed from the bones, remove and discard the water.

Step 3: Cooking the Beef Stew

• Place a new pot of water on the stove, add the pork bones and 1 teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil.
• Place a pan on the stove, add a small amount of oil, when the oil is hot, add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
• Next, add the marinated beef with spices into the pan, stir-fry until firm, then add lemongrass and stir-fry for about 1 minute before turning off the heat. This step helps to eliminate any unpleasant odors and enhances the delicious and rich flavor of the broth.
• Skim off any foam from the pot to keep the broth clear, then add the stir-fried beef and lemongrass, add about 1/2 jar of oil, cover the pot, and simmer for about 1 - 2 hours until the beef is tender.
• When the beef is tender enough, add onions and carrots, season with 2.5 tablespoons of broth mix, 2/3 tablespoon of salt, and 1.5 tablespoons of sugar. You can adjust the seasoning to taste.
• Then, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes. With this beef stew recipe, you can enjoy it with rice, noodles, or bread.

Beef Stew Recipe without Seasoning Packets

Ingredients 

• Beef chuck (preferably with a bit of marbling): 1 kg.
• Beef stew seasoning powder: 2 packets.
• Cornstarch, rice wine.
• Carrots: 500g.
• Lemongrass, ginger, dried shallots, garlic, fresh chili, cloves.
• Seasonings: Salt, broth mix, sugar, pepper, MSG, vegetable oil, sesame oil.
• Side vegetables: Basil, cilantro.

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

• Ginger: Crush and mix with rice wine and salt, then add to the beef, massage well and rinse to remove any unpleasant odors from the main ingredient.
• Beef: Blanch in hot water, cut into medium-sized pieces. Avoid cutting too small as long simmering can cause the meat to become mushy.
• Carrots: Wash, peel, and cut into small pieces.
• Side vegetables: Pick and wash thoroughly.
• Shallots and garlic: Finely chop.
• Cloves: Roast until fragrant.

Step 2: Marinate the Beef

Marinate the beef with a little sesame oil, minced garlic, ginger, and shallots along with 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of beef stew seasoning powder, pepper, sesame oil, and mix well. To add more spiciness, you can add chili, satay, and marinate for about 30 minutes.

Step 3: Cooking the Beef

• Heat vegetable oil in a pot and sauté minced garlic, ginger, and shallots until fragrant, then add all the marinated beef and stir-fry until firm.
• Continue to add dark soy sauce to create the characteristic color of beef stew, then continue to stir-fry.

Step 4: Prepare the Rich Broth

• Pour about 350ml of water into the pot to cover the meat along with cloves and cornstarch to create thickness.
• Continue to add carrots and simmer over low heat, season with spices, and wait for the carrots to soften before enjoying.

Guide to Cooking Southern-Style Beef Stew (Coconut Milk Beef Stew Recipe)

Ingredients

• Beef sirloin with fat and tendons: 500g.
• Carrots: 2 pieces.
• Lemongrass: 4 stalks.
• Finely chopped lemongrass: 200g.
• Onion: 1 bulb.
• Fresh coconut water: 1 liter.
• Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon.
• Beef stew seasoning powder: 1 packet.
• White wine.
• Unsweetened fresh milk: 200ml.
• Ginger: 1/2 bulb.
• Garlic, shallots.
• Seasonings: Sugar, broth mix, salt, soy sauce, fish sauce.

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

• Beef: Wash thoroughly, cut into bite-sized pieces. You can blanch briefly with boiling water mixed with white wine, then rinse with cold water to remove the gamey odor. Once the beef is drained, place it in a large bowl, marinate with sugar, soy sauce, broth mix, half packet of beef stew seasoning powder along with garlic, shallots, and finely chopped lemongrass. Mix well and marinate for 30 - 45 minutes.

• Carrots: Wash, peel, and cut into 1cm chunks.
• Onion: Peel, wash, and slice into wedges.
• Lemongrass: Wash, crush, and cut into 5cm pieces.

Step 2: Sauté the Beef

Heat cooking oil evenly in a large pan, turn on the heat and let it heat up, then add garlic, whole lemongrass, and onion wedges to stir-fry until fragrant. Stir a few times then add the marinated beef, stir until firm, then turn off the heat.

Step 3: Cooking the beef

Put the beef into a rice cooker with 800ml of coconut water and 200ml of unsweetened fresh milk, mix well. For richer color and appearance, add a little olive oil to the meat. Then, plug in and press the Cook button, cook for about 2 - 3 hours until the meat is tender. If the water dries out while cooking, add more water, wait until the meat is soft, then add carrots and cook for an additional 15 - 20 minutes.

Step 4: Adding cornstarch to the pot

• Dissolve 50g of cornstarch in 50ml of water.
• Remove the lemongrass from the pot, then add the cornstarch mixture and stir well, cook for another 5 minutes until the liquid thickens and is ready to enjoy.

How to make mouthwatering beef stew for banh mi

You can try the recipe for beef stew to pair with banh mi for a delightful breakfast with these quick and easy steps:

Ingredients

• Bread: 5 pieces.
• Beef: 500g.
• Braising beef seasoning: 1 packet. 
• Fresh coconut water: 1.5 liters.
• Carrots: 2 pieces.
• Lemongrass: 3 stalks.
• Ginger: 1 piece.
• Cornstarch: 2 tablespoons.
• Onion: 1 piece.
• Shallots: 4 pieces.
• Olive oil: 1 teaspoon.
• Fish sauce: 2 tablespoons.
• Accompanying greens: Basil, cilantro.
• White wine.
• Cooking oil: 2 tablespoons.
• Seasonings: Sugar, salt, pepper, chili,... 

Execution Guide

Step 1: Ingredient preparation

• Beef: Massage with a little salt and white wine for about 15 minutes then rinse several times with water and drain. Then, cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Carrots: Peel, wash thoroughly, and cut into bite-sized pieces.  
• Ginger: Wash, peel, and finely chop. 
• Shallots: Peel, finely chop. 
• Lemongrass: Wash, cut into thin slices. 
• Onion: Peel. 
• Accompanying greens: Pick clean leaves, rinse with water, and drain.

Step 2: Marinating the beef

• Marinate the beef with 1 packet of seasoning, 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of MSG, pepper, 1/2 portion of lemongrass, ginger, finely chopped shallots.
• Mix all ingredients well, place in the refrigerator and marinate for about 4 hours or overnight to allow the meat to absorb the seasoning.

Step 3: Cooking beef stew

• Place a pot on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and heat.
• Continue to add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, stir well over medium heat until the oil turns golden brown, then remove the olive oil seeds.
• Add lemongrass, finely chopped shallots, and ginger to the pan and sauté until fragrant, then continue to add the beef and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the meat firms up.
• Add 1.5 liters of fresh coconut water and one onion into the pan, cover and continue to sauté the beef stew for about 40 minutes until the meat is tender.
• After 40 minutes, remove the onion, add all the carrots along with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes until the broth boils.
• Prepare about 200ml of water mixed with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. When the beef stew pot is boiling, pour this mixture in and stir well until the broth reaches the desired thickness. Then, adjust the taste and turn off the heat.

Authentic Northern-style beef stew recipe 

Compared to the Southern style, the Northern beef stew recipe has several differences to better suit the taste of Northern people. Here are the specific cooking instructions:

Ingredients

• Beef: 1kg.
• Fresh ginger: 40g.
• White wine: 50ml.
• Lemongrass: 100 – 200g.
• Ginger: 50g.
• Rock salt: 5g.
• Tomato sauce: 50g.
• Beef stew powder: 15g.
• Chili: 4g.
• Minced garlic: 15g.
• Fresh coconut water: 800ml.
• Carrots: 400g. 
• Raw vegetables: Basil, cilantro, sawtooth herb.
• Seasonings: Cooking oil, sugar, MSG, seasoning powder,…

Execution Guide

Step 1: Odor elimination 

Slice the beef, rub with 40g finely chopped ginger and 50ml white wine for about 15 minutes to eliminate odors.

Step 2: Boil the meat

• Put lemongrass and ginger in a pot with about 2.5 liters of water, boil for 5 minutes.
• Continue to add beef with 5g of salt and boil for 10 minutes. 
• Remove the meat, rinse well, and drain thoroughly before marinating.

Step 3: Marinate the beef

Mix all the prepared ingredients with the beef and marinate for about 15 minutes to allow the meat to absorb the seasoning evenly.

Step 4: Cook the beef stew

• Heat cooking oil in a pot, wait until hot then add chopped onions, minced garlic, and lemongrass to sauté until fragrant.
• Next, add the beef and sauté for about 5 minutes. 
• Add cold water and coconut water, increase the heat and simmer the beef stew for about 10 minutes. 
• Pour the stewed beef into a pressure cooker, continue cooking over low heat for about 40 – 45 minutes. 
• During the waiting time, prepare carrots and other vegetables. Note that carrots should not be added to the soup pot from the beginning to avoid breaking, only fry briefly and add about 7 – 10 minutes before turning off the heat.

Step 5: Make thickened sauce

• Add 20g of butter to a pan, heat until the butter melts.
• Add 15g of flour, stir well for about 3 minutes. 
• After about 40 minutes, when the beef is tender, continue to add carrots and simmer for another 5 minutes. 
• Immerse the roots of coriander, basil in the pot for about 2 minutes, then remove with chopsticks and stir to release the aroma. 
• Add the thickened sauce to the pot, stir well, cook for another 2 minutes then turn off the heat. Then, transfer the stewed beef to a bowl. 
• Sprinkle chopped basil, cilantro on top and enjoy while hot with bread or noodles.

Instructions for making vegetarian beef stew 

Ingredients 

• Faux beef slices: 100g.
• Vegetarian beef stew powder: 2 tablespoons.
• Carrot: 1/2 piece.
• Turnip: 1 piece.
• Daikon radish: 1 piece.
• Onion: 1 piece.
• Oyster mushrooms: 200g.
• Lemongrass: 1/2 stalk.
• Cilantro roots: 5 stems.
• Chili paste or tomato paste: 1 tablespoon.
• Lemongrass paste: 2 tablespoons.
• Lemongrass: 4 stalks.

Execution Guide

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

• Faux beef slices: Soak in water for about 1 hour to soften, then squeeze dry.
• Oyster mushrooms: Soak in salt water, then rinse and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Lemongrass: Crush and cut into segments.
• Onion: Rinse and finely chop.
• Lemongrass paste: Rinse and finely chop.
• Carrot: Rinse and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Onion, daikon radish, turnip: Rinse and cut into chunks.

Step 2: Marinate the spices

In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth powder, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of vegetarian beef stew powder, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, then marinate evenly and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 3: Prepare the broth

Bring a pot of water to a boil with about 1.5 liters of water, then add daikon radish, onion, turnip, cilantro, and cilantro roots, and simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat.

Step 4: Sauté the mushrooms

Sauté the lemongrass paste with lemongrass and then stir-fry with mushrooms along with 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth powder, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Then, mix well and turn off the heat.

Step 5: Cook vegetarian beef stew

• Sauté the lemongrass paste with lemongrass and then add the prepared vegetarian beef slices to stir-fry.
• Add the remaining daikon radish and turnip along with 1 tablespoon of chili paste and the prepared broth, simmer for about 20 minutes. Finally, add oyster mushrooms, then turn off the heat and enjoy.

What should be noted for cooking delicious beef stew?

Tips for selecting quality beef:

• Choose fresh lean meat with white tendons, golden fat, and firm texture when pressed.
• The best cut for beef stew is chuck – meat with white marbling lines and fresher golden fat compared to loin.
• Select pieces of meat that are neither too large nor too soft.
• Fresh beef should have elasticity when pressed, without odor and not sticky to touch.

Trimming vegetables for an appealing beef stew

You can shape carrots into flower patterns to make the dish more visually appealing. To do this, use a sharp knife to make a deep cut in the core from bottom to top, then cut vertically and move downward until reaching the joint. Cut deeply to easily remove the trimmed carrot pieces. After separating half of the trimmed portion, you just need to slice the carrot pieces horizontally to complete.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the ingredients for making beef stew?

The basic ingredients for making beef stew are: Beef, carrots, onions, coconut milk, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, shallots, chili powder, vegetable oil, five-spice powder, bay leaves, turmeric powder, thyme powder, star anise, ...

What's the trick to tenderize beef stew quickly?

To cook tender beef stew quickly, choose tender beef or veal with small pieces. Additionally, you can add some tenderizing ingredients such as: Green tea bags, green papaya, vinegar (rice/apple), pineapple, white wine, ice cubes,...

Is it delicious to cook beef stew without packaged seasonings?

You can replace packaged seasonings with other ingredients such as: Colored cashews, cinnamon, star anise, five-spice powder, turmeric powder, dried chili powder, cornstarch or tapioca starch,... The finished product will have the desired delicious aroma. Above are all the useful tips for cooking beef stew at home.

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