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"Cowboy" Stew

This "Cowboy" Stew is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring browned bacon and beef, simmered with aromatic vegetables like onions, celery, and carrots. Deglazed with red wine and beef broth, it's thickened with a flour and oil mixture, then finished with tender potatoes and okra. A robust and comforting meal perfect for a crowd.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 2363.9 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pot 8-quart capacity recommended
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Small Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Wooden Spoon or Ladle

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1/2 bacon diced
  • 2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
  • 3 large onions medium dice
  • 1 bunch celery well scrubbed, cleaned, and chopped
  • 1 pound carrots medium dice
  • One 750-ml bottle red wine
  • 2 quarts beef broth
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds potatoes well scrubbed and diced, skin on
  • One 8-ounce package frozen okra
  • 3 bay leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Brown bacon in a large (8-quart capacity) pot. Add beef and brown in the bacon fat. Add onions, celery and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes. Add red wine and beef broth, and simmer until reduced by half. In a small bowl, mix flour and oil, then stir this mixture into the stew and let simmer for a few minutes to thicken and integrate flavors. Add potatoes, okra and bay leaves to the stew and let cook until potatoes are fork tender. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Notes

Achieve a deep, rich brown on both the bacon and beef for maximum flavor development; this Maillard reaction is foundational for the stew's depth. When adding the red wine, thoroughly deglaze the pot, scraping up all the savory browned bits from the bottom. This step significantly enriches the stew. Ensure the flour and oil mixture (roux) cooks for at least 2-3 minutes after incorporation to eliminate any raw flour taste and properly thicken the stew. For an extra layer of complexity, consider adding a tablespoon of tomato paste during the vegetable sauté, which will deepen the umami profile. Adjust seasoning precisely at the end, as the flavors concentrate during simmering.