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Beef Stew with Red Currants and Basil

Counter 06 · Stews & Braises

Beef Stew with Red Currants and Basil

Chuck braised in red wine until it falls apart, then finished with tart red currants that cut the richness. A dark, glossy stew that tastes like late autumn.

4.5 187 cooks rated this
Prep
25 min
Cook
2 hr 45 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
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Northern European cooks have always paired braised meat with sour berries, from lingonberries with reindeer to currant jelly with game. This version borrows the idea for plain beef chuck. The currants go in twice: a spoonful of jelly melts into the braise for depth, and fresh berries land on top at the end so they pop against the soft meat. Brown the beef in small batches and take your time, because that crust is where the dark color comes from. Frozen currants work fine for the garnish.

Method

  1. Pat the beef dry, season with the salt, and toss with the flour until lightly coated.

  2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in two batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep mahogany, and move it to a plate.

  3. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil and the onions, and cook 8 minutes until soft and starting to color. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.

  4. Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Boil for 3 minutes, then add the stock, currant jelly, thyme and the beef with its juices.

  5. Cover and braise in a 325 F oven for 2 1/2 hours, until a cube breaks apart with light pressure from a spoon.

  6. Set the pot on the stove, remove the thyme stems, and simmer uncovered 10 minutes to thicken. Stir in half the loose currants and taste for salt.

  7. Spoon into a warm skillet or bowls and top with the remaining currants and a few basil leaves.

Hand lifting the lid of a red Dutch oven on a stove
Checking the braise under the Dutch oven lid
Hand seasoning a pot of broth beside a pan of browned meat
Seasoning the broth beside a pan of browned meat

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