Classic Beef Stew

Heat the oven to 163 °C with a rack in the lower middle.

Pat the 1360 g boneless beef chuck, well marbled dry and season it with the 10 ml salt and 5 ml freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a tablespoon of the 44 ml olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown the beef in three batches, about 5 min per batch, adding another tablespoon of oil for each batch. Set the browned beef aside on a plate.

Add the 2 yellow onions, 7 cloves garlic and 30 ml balsamic vinegar to the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, for about 5 min.

Stir in the 22 ml tomato paste and cook for 1 min. Return the beef and its juices, sprinkle over the 59 ml all purpose flour and stir for 1 min to 2 min.

Add the 475 ml dry red wine, 475 ml beef broth, 475 ml water, 1 leaf bay leaf, 2.5 ml dried thyme and 7.5 ml sugar. Stir to loosen anything stuck to the bottom and bring to a boil.

Cover the pot, move it to the oven and braise for 2 h.

Stir in the 4 carrots and 455 g small white boiling potatoes, such as baby Yukon Golds, cover and return to the oven for about 1 h more.

Fish out the bay leaf, taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with fresh parsley, chopped, to serve, or cool and refrigerate overnight for even better flavour.