Go Back

German Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes

German beef stew with carrots and potatoes that’s beer-braised until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through. Thickened with a flour-and-butter sear for a hearty, gravy-like broth.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck Cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes.
Seasoning
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Thickener and fat
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp butter or oil
Aromatics and spices
  • 2 onions Sliced.
  • 2 clove garlic Minced.
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
Braising liquids and flavor
  • 1 bottle (12 oz) German dark beer
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 bay leaves
Vegetables
  • 1.5 lb potatoes Cubed.
  • 4 carrots Sliced thick.
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef with salt and black pepper, then toss it with all-purpose flour until lightly coated.
  2. Heat the butter or oil in a Dutch oven and brown the beef in batches over medium-high heat until deeply browned on the surface, 6-8 minutes total (do not crowd the pan).
Build the onion-spice base
  1. Add the sliced onions to the Dutch oven and cook until golden, 8-10 minutes, stirring as they soften.
  2. Add the minced garlic, tomato paste, sweet paprika, and caraway seeds and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat and toast the spices.
Beer-braise the stew
  1. Pour in the German dark beer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  2. Add the beef broth, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and bay leaves, then return the beef to the pot.
  3. Cover and simmer until the beef is tender, maintaining a steady simmer, about 1 1/2 hours.
Cook potatoes and carrots
  1. Add the cubed potatoes and thick-sliced carrots, stir to distribute, and cover again.
  2. Simmer until the potatoes and carrots are tender, 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Finish
  1. Remove the bay leaves and discard them.
  2. Top the stew with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot.

Notes

For the best texture, brown the beef in batches so it develops color instead of steaming. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freeze up to 3 months. For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium beef broth and swap half the butter for oil without changing the cook times.