Rich, hearty, beefy and perfect! McCormick Beef Stew has the right balance of flavor, juices and vegetables to satisfy your hungry team PLUS, it's EASY!
McCormick Beef Stew
This McCormick Beef Stew Packet is the perfect mix of meats and veggies with a thick hearty broth (like our scratch made beef stew, but much easier!) that you can easily make thicker if you need to.
Like all McCormick Spices, McCormick Beef Stew is easy, fast and the right flavor profile. You won't be disappointed with how easily and quickly this comes together.
What Meat Do I Use in the Beef Stew
You will often see a number of different beef cuts recommended for beef stew, however, I always recommend one of the following:
- Chuckroast
- Stew Beef
PRO TIP: Make sure the meat is cut into bite sized pieces.
What Vegetables Do I Use in Beef Stew
You will find that it's different strokes for different folks when it comes to what vegetables to use in your beef stew but the common choices are:
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Potato
You might also consider:
- Cabbage
- Leeks
- Sweet Potato
- A dash of fresh spinach when ready to serve
- Green onions
How Long Do I Cook Beef Stew
It depends on what method you use to make the beef stew!
STOVETOP: If you are using the McCormick's Beef Stew Packet, you will cook the whole thing for about 2-3 hours on the stove top.
OVEN: If you choose to use a dutch oven and cook your beef stew in the oven at 350, you will cook the whole thing for about 3 hours.
CROCKPOT: How about in the crockpot? Set the crockpot on low and cook for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
INSTANTPOT: What about the Instantpot? Cook the whole thing for 20 minutes.
How Do I Thicken McCormick Beef Stew
If you have made the dish according to the package directions and you would like a thicker stew, just follow these simple instructions.
- In a separate bowl, mix together with a fork 1 heaping Tbs of cornstarch and 1 Tbs of cool water.
- Mix with the tines of the fork until the mixture loosens up and becomes like milk. If it isn't loosening, simply add a few drops of cool water and repeat until loose enough to stir.
- Add to the beef stew and heat over medium heat on the stove top stirring constantly. Will thicken in about 5 minutes. Repeat until it is as thick as desired.
What Do I Serve with Beef Stew
You have a lot of choices when serving beef stew! You can serve a side dish or none at all since all the good stuff is already in there!
Starch - crusty bread, baked potato, mashed potatoes and rice
Green Veggies - green beans, broccoli, asparagus or salad
Dessert - chocolate mouse, chocolate brownies, cookie bars
Here's What You'll Need
The ingredients are so easy and affordable! The basics are...
- Stew Beef - You'll see that the actual meat is labled "Stew Beef" at the grocery and it is chunks of a large cut of meat cut into bite sized pieces. Buy one with about 2 lbs in the package.
- Packet of McCormicks Beef Stew
- Vegetables - carrots, onion, celery
- Pantry staples - flour and oil (and a bit of water)
Here's How You Do It
It's so easy, anyone can do this.
- Brown the chunks of meat in a skillet or dutch oven.
- Add water and packet
- Add the vegetables an hour from the end.
Special Equipment
You really don't need much special equipment but you will need a larger stock pot or dutch oven to cook the beef stew in. I recommend this Lodge Dutch Oven, it's the one I have.
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This is the actual packet you'll need...
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
If you keep it covered and refrigerated, it will last 5 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, place in a freezer safe dish and place into the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove as much air as possible before freezing.
Tips and Tricks
- The best tip for perfect beef stew is to keep the pieces of meat bite sized. This can be tedious when preparing the beef stew but it is time well spent.
- You will be tempted to remove the fat from the meat when adding it to the dish, however, that fat is flavor. Allow it to cook with the beef stew and remove it after cooking if it remains.
- For a beautiful beef stew, remember that color is king. Orange carrots, brown beef, and perhaps a splash of green will make for a lovely dish. We eat with our eyes first.
- Flavor is everything. Add the entire packet of beef stew and the other required ingredients.
- Beef stew is always better on day 2 so make sure to enjoy the leftovers and keep refrigerated.
- To rewarm, put the beef stew in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat on the stove top. You may need to add ½ cup of water to loosen the liquid in the pan.
Substitutions
Stew Beef - Any small cut piece of roast
McCormicks Beef Stew Packet - do not use an alternative
Vegetable Oil - Any corn oil, lard, peanut oil or substitute will work as long as it is a higher temp oil (not butter).
Water - Broth or stock is good (PRO TIP, in fact!).
Vegetables - Use any vegetable you prefer but we recommend carrots, onions and potatoes for the typical beef stew flavor.
Watch Sarah Make McCormick Beef Stew
Can You Give Me a Hand
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McCormick Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
- 3 Tbs all purpose flour
- 2 lbs stew beef cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 cups water
- 6 cups chopped vegetables mix of onions, carrots and potatoes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 6 quart dutch oven on the stove top over medium high heat.
- Coat the stew beef with the flour in a medium sized bowl. If some of the flour remains loose in the bowl, don't worry about it too much.
- Add the beef stew all at once when the oil is hot and shimmery. Add any remaining flour from the bowl to the hot oil in the dutch oven. Cook the beef until it is browned on all sides (you are not trying to cook the meat through, just getting some color on the meat) some of the flour and juices will brown on the bottom of the pan, don't worry about it, just keep going.
- Add the water when the meat is browned and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bits of burnt meat and flour from the bottom of the pan.
- Place the lid on the pan and bring to a simmer, lower the heat to medium low and continue the simmer for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, add the vegetables all at once and bring back to a simmer. Add the lid and allow to simmer for another hour or until the meat and vegetables are tender and falling apart.
Notes
- The best tip for perfect beef stew is to keep the pieces of meat bite sized. This can be tedious when preparing the beef stew but it is time well spent.
- You will be tempted to remove the fat from the meat when adding it to the dish, however, that fat is flavor. Allow it to cook with the beef stew and remove it after cooking if it remains.
- For a beautiful beef stew, remember that color is king. Orange carrots, brown beef, and perhaps a splash of green will make for a lovely dish. We eat with our eyes first.
- Flavor is everything. Add the entire packet of beef stew and the other required ingredients.
- Beef stew is always better on day 2 so make sure to enjoy the leftovers and keep refrigerated.
- To rewarm, put the beef stew in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat on the stove top. You may need to add ½ cup of water to loosen the liquid in the pan.
Nutrition
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