🍲 Beef & Mushroom Stew (Rich Gravy Style)
A hearty, slow-simmered stew with tender beef, earthy mushrooms, and a deep savory gravy—perfect comfort food.
🥩 Ingredients
- 500–800g beef chuck or stewing beef (cubed)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3–4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 250g mushrooms (sliced)
- 2 tbsp flour (for thickening)
- 2–3 cups beef stock (or water + stock cube)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, adds depth)
- 1–2 tbsp soy sauce (optional, boosts umami)
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or mixed herbs)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
🔥 Instructions
1. Brown the beef
- Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat
- Sear beef in batches until well browned on all sides
- Remove and set aside
2. Build flavor base
- In the same pot, sauté onions until soft and lightly golden
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds
3. Cook mushrooms
- Add mushrooms and cook until they release moisture and start browning
- Let them reduce slightly for deeper flavor
4. Thicken base
- Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir well for 1–2 minutes
(this removes raw flour taste and helps thicken the stew)
5. Add liquid & simmer
- Stir in tomato paste, soy sauce, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf
- Slowly add beef stock while stirring to prevent lumps
- Return beef to the pot
6. Slow cook
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 60–90 minutes until beef is tender
- Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if it gets too thick
🍽️ Serve with
- Mashed potatoes (classic pairing)
- Steamed rice
- Buttered bread or naan
🔑 Tips
- The longer it simmers, the richer and softer it gets
- Proper browning of beef = deeper flavor in the gravy
- A small splash of vinegar at the end can brighten the taste if it feels too heavy
If you want, I can upgrade this into a pressure cooker version (30 minutes) or a restaurant-style thick gravy stew with wine reduction.
