Ingredients:
2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons flour
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup peas (optional)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Instructions:
In a large bowl, toss beef cubes with flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Remove beef and set aside.
In the same pot, sauté onion and garlic until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Return beef to the pot. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
Add carrots, potatoes, and celery. Continue simmering for another 30–40 minutes, or until vegetables and beef are tender.
If using peas, stir them in during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with a slice of crusty bread for soaking up that rich, savory broth — just the way Grandma used to make it.