Beef Apple Stew

This beef apple stew is perfect for the fall season. A comforting stew loaded with meltingly tender beef, apples, and carrots smothered in a rich, creamy sauce.

I cannot even tell you how much we all love this beef apple stew. It’s perfect: the beef pieces are incredibly tender, the sauce is creamy, the apples are tart, and they almost dissolve into the gravy, adding a luscious note to the entire dish.

Beef stew is a classic dinner staple all over the world. We all know and love a rich French Red Wine Beef Stew or the amazing Hungarian Beef Goulash, but why not try this autumnal version enriched with apples and cream? I bet you will love it! Or you could learn How to Cook Beef Ribs in the Oven.

And if you would like to try more savory apple recipes, check out Roast Chicken with Apples, Rhubarb Chicken Curry, Braised Fennel with Apples, or learn How to Cook Liver (with Onions and Apples).

Recipe ingredients

• Beef: Lean, lightly marbled beef chuck or stewing beef (See Recipe FAQ).
• Apples: Two medium tart apples.
• Beef stock: Preferably low-sodium stock to ensure that the dish will not be too salty after cooking. Chicken stock is a good substitute.

• Vegetables: Onions, garlic, carrots.
• Herbs: Thyme and marjoram (fresh or dried) and bay leaves.
• All-purpose flour to flour the meat pieces before searing and to thicken the gravy.
• Dairy: heavy cream thickens the sauce, making it exceptionally creamy and comforting.
• Honey to balance the tartness of the apples.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make beef apple stew?

• Prepare beef: Cube the meat and dry the pieces with paper towels. Toss them into 1 tablespoon of flour and remove excess flour by patting the meat pieces with your hands (1).

• Sear the meat in batches, adding a bit of oil in between the batches when necessary. You will need about 5 minutes per batch. Turn the pieces of meat with tongs so that they brown all over (2,3).

• Chop the onions and the garlic cloves while the meat is searing (4).
• Brown onions: Leave the last batch of meat in the pot and add the onions and the garlic. Let them get a bit of color, then add the rest of the browned meat (5).

• Simmer: Add the bay leaves. and enough beef stock to cover the meat (6). Place the lid on top, bring the stew to a boil and simmer for 60 minutes (7).

• Add the sliced carrots and simmer for another 15 minutes.
• Add the peeled and chopped apples and simmer for another 15 minutes (8).

• Adjust the taste: Taste and add 1 or 2 teaspoons of honey, depending on the tartness of the apples. Add one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and check the taste again.
• Thicken stew: Whisk the heavy cream and one tablespoon of flour (9).
• Whisk the slurry into the apple beef stew and simmer gently for about 1 minute (10). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Expert Tips

• Dry the meat pieces with paper towels and flour them lightly. Don’t skip these steps; they are essential for getting that nice, brown crust on the pieces of meat. The flour also plays a role in thickening the stew.

• Sear the meat in batches, don't overcrowd the pan. If you do that, the beef will release too much juice and start cooking in its own juices instead of searing.

• Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven very well when you add the chopped onions; those slightly burnt bits will add flavor to the apple beef stew.

• Use good quality beef stock, preferably low sodium. It is better to use something slightly less salted for making the stew and add more salt at the end of the cooking process, if necessary. The stock will reduce, and the whole dish might be too salty if the stock is too salty.

• Honey: When adjusting the taste of the beef stew with apples, only add a little honey at first. Stir to dissolve it in the gravy and then taste again. The amount you need greatly depends on the tartness of the apples.

Recipe FAQ

Recipe

Beef Apple Stew

This beef apple stew is perfect for the fall season. A comforting stew loaded with meltingly tender beef, apples, and carrots smothered in a rich, creamy sauce.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate

Course: Stews

Cuisine: German

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 682kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

• ▢
  Large Dutch oven or thick-bottomed pot

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

• ▢ 2 lbs stewing beef chuck 1 kg, Note 1
• ▢ 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 large onions
• ▢ 2 large garlic cloves
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 2 cups beef stock low-sodium,500 ml, Notes 2, 3
• ▢ 4-5 medium carrots 250 g/ 9 oz,
• ▢ 2 sprigs thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
• ▢ 2 sprigs marjoram or ½ teaspoon dried
• ▢ 2 apples medium, tart
• ▢ 1-2 teaspoons clear honey to taste, Note 4
• ▢ 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar more to taste
• ▢ ¾ cup heavy cream 200 ml
• ▢ 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ▢ fine sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

• Prepare beef: Cut the meat into bite-sized cubes and dry the pieces with paper towels. Place them in a large bowl and toss them into the flour. Remove excess flour by patting the meat pieces with your hands.

  2 lbs stewing beef chuck/ 1 kg + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Brown the beef: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the pot. Sear the meat in 2 or 3 batches (Note 5), adding a bit of oil in between the batches when necessary. You will need about 5 minutes per batch. Turn the pieces of meat with tongs so that they brown all over.
• Chop the onions and the garlic cloves in the meantime.

  2 large onions + 2 large garlic cloves
• Add onions: Leave the last batch of meat in the pot and add the onions and the garlic. Brown them lightly while stirring often.
• Add the rest of the browned meat, the bay leaves, and beef stock. You should add enough stock to almost cover the meat.

  2 bay leaves + 2 cups beef stock / 500 ml
• Simmer: Place the lid on top, bring the stew to a boil and simmer for 60 minutes.
• Add the sliced carrots, thyme, and marjoram and simmer for another 15 minutes.

  4-5 medium carrots / 250 g + 2 sprigs thyme + 2 sprigs marjoram
• Add the peeled and chopped apples and simmer for another 15 minutes.

  2 apples
• Adjust the taste: Taste and add 1 or 2 teaspoons of honey, depending on the tartness of the apples. Add one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and check the taste again.

  1-2 teaspoons clear honey + 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• Thicken stew: Whisk the heavy cream and one tablespoon of flour in a small bowl. Whisk the slurry into the stew and simmer gently for about 1 minute. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper again.

  ¾ cup heavy cream + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour + fine sea salt and black pepper

Notes

1. Meat: Cubed lean beef with a bit of marbling, sold under the name of stewing or stew beef. It can come from different cuts of beef, such as chuck, round, shoulder, or sirloin cuts. I prefer chuck.
2. Stock: You can use chicken stock instead. It is better to use low-sodium stock and add more salt at the end of the cooking process if necessary. The stock will reduce, and the whole dish might be too salty if the stock is too salty.
3. Adjusting taste: How much honey and balsamic you need depends on the tartness of the apples.
4. Don't overcrowd the pan, or the beef will release too much juice and start cooking in its own juices instead of searing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the dish | Calories: 682kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 1443mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 11258IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 6mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!