Beef Stew

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Recipe from Joelen's Culinary Adventures

This may be the best beef stew I've ever made.  I don't know what it is about it, but it was really delicious!  And it smelled so good as it was cooking.  I actually made this a day ahead of time so all I had to do was reheat.  It does thicken up quite a lot, and I ended up adding in a bit more broth. J would've been fine without it, but I like it a bit soupier for dipping bread.

Ingredients:
5 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cubed
Salt & pepper, to taste
3 T vegetable oil
4 onions, minced (about 4 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ou tomato paste
1/4 c AP flour
2 c red wine
2 c chicken or beef broth
3 T soy
1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
1 c button mushrooms, halved
1 1/2 t fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 c frozen peas

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 300 degrees. Season meat w/ salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1 T vegetable oil in Dutch oven until just starting to smoke.  Brown half of the beef in the pot, about 8 minutes.  Set aside and brown 2nd half of beef.

Reduce heat to medium and return first batch of beef to pot. Add onion and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until onion is tender. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until no dry flour is visible, about 30 seconds.

Slowly add wine and scraped up any browned bits.  Turn heat up to high and allow wine to simmer until thickened and reduced, about 2 minutes.  Stir in broth, bay, thyme and soy.  Cover and place in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove from oven and discard bay leaves. Mix in carrots, cover and return to oven for about 45 minutes. 

Remove from oven and add the mushrooms.  Cook over medium heat, uncovered, about 15 minutes, until meat is tender.  Stir in peas and allow to warm through.  Check seasoning and serve.