Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

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The heartiest bowl of poblano beef stew!This stew is simple but loaded with oh somuch goodness. It’s warm, it’s cozy, it’sperfect for chili evenings!

Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (1)
Big, hearty bowls of poblano beef stew need just one thing to make them extra perfect. I can’t get it off my mind!Especially when crusty bread is involved.

Nothing too fancy here, kids!

Just a warm and comforting bowl of the smokiest poblano and chipotle pepper beef stew that’ll give your regular old beef stew a run for it’s money. Just a little facelift and you know, get the family excited again about basic food again. ??????

What I want you to know is that this beef stew is loaded with the same goodness we like from a good stew recipe. It’s got the potatoes, check. And the tender chunks of beef, check. Also, the flavorful hearty broth, check. But what it also has is these deliciously smoky poblano peppers that add the heartiest depth of flavor. Also, cooking something for a couple of hours and making it taste like it’s been slow simmered all day.

Cheater meals are my favorite!

Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2)Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (3)

Let’s talk ingredients.

This all starts with a 3 huge poblano peppers. It is a POBLANO beef stew, after all. We’ll need them infresh form and start by giving them a good roasting. You can do this on the stove or in the oven. Either way works. I usually use a pair of tongs and just let them roast for about 5 minutes on the stove. If you don’t have a gas stove though, this can be a little tricky.

The other option is broiling the poblano peppers in the oven. It’ll take about the same time and the flavor is the same either way. But it’s important not to skip this step because here we get a chance to add in that good old smokey flavor. Also, that skin needs to go! So we’ll char the peppers and then cover them and let them steam so the skin peels right off.

Once that’s done we’ll start on the stew.

Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (4)Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (5)Like any good stew recipe, you want to start this poblano beef stew by searing the meat. This allows the meat to really hold in all the juices and be tender when you bite into it. And thisreally is the difference between a meh stew, and a ?stew. You can use any type of ‘stewing meat’ for this recipe, I just usually use a beef chuck roast. A top round or a bottom round will also work. Remember, the size of the meat is also important. I used 1-inch cubes, which cooked up nice and tender in about 1-1 ½ hours. If your meat is cut into larger pieces, it’ll take a little longer to get tender.

Once you brown the meat, you want to use the same pot to sauté the onions and garlic. Please! Oh, please, whatever you do, don’t switch to a new pot! All that brown char that develops when you brown the beef is gold in this recipe. When you sweat the onions, it’ll start loosening up and coating them.

Flavor, flavor, flavor.

Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (6)

Once you’ve got the onions and garlic sautéed off, this becomes a pretty straightforwardbeef stew recipe. I added in a chopped chipotle pepper with a couple tablespoons of adobo sauce along with the beef broth, a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, and some smoky cumin. The chipotle peppers just build more smokiness and might I add that the potatoes are totally more delicious when stewed in chipotle pepper speckled stew? This is optional though as the chipotle peppers do pack on a quite a bit of heat. If spicer food isn’t your thing, you can leave out the adobo sauce or use a little adobo and leave out the chipotle pepper. And if you prefer super spicy food, feel free to add in more chipotle peppers to your liking!

Iusually serve up poblano beef stew with lots of toasty, crusty bread. This time around the hubby requested garlic bread with the stew! Not that the stew needed additional garlic or anything. Just the way we do things round here. I used a little olive oil, and toasted the bread. When it was hot outta the oven, I gave it a good rub with a whole garlic clove, sprinkled on a little salt, and freshly chopped parsley. SO GOOD.

This is totally doable, even if you’ve never made beef stew before. Did I mention it’s the perfect weeknight or weekend dinner that’s totally satisfying and will keep you all warm and cozy?

IT WILL.

Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (7)

Yield: 6-7 servings

Hearty Poblano Beef Stew

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time2 hours

Total Time2 hours 5 minutes

The heartiest bowl of poblano beef stew! This stew is simple but loaded with oh so much goodness. It's warm, it's cozy, it's perfect for chili evenings!

Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (8)

Ingredients

  • 3 large poblano peppers
  • 1 ½ pounds beef chuck roast (cut into 1- inch cubes) (see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 4 cups beef or chicken broth
  • 1 chipotle pepper (plus 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce (omit to make it less spicy)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 2 -3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. POBLANOS: Char the poblano peppers over an open flame for about 5 minutes, turning as necessary to char evenly. You can also broil them under the broiler in the oven for about 5-7 minutes turning a couple times until all the sides are charred. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap for 10-15 minutes. You can brown the meat for the stew while you wait. When the peppers are done, use a spoon to help scrape off the charred skin. Remove the stem, seeds, and ribs and discard. Dice the chilis into 1 inch pieces, set aside until ready to use in the stew.
  2. STEW: Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper and brown in batches. Do not overcrowd the pot as the meat will steam rather than sear. Remove the browned beef to a plate.
  3. Add the onions and scrape the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook the onions for 3-5 minutes or until the start to turn translucent. Add the garlic, and cook for another 30 seconds before adding in the seared beef, poblano peppers, cumin, oregano, broth, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and fire roasted tomatoes.
  4. Bring the stew to a boil before covering, lowering the heat, and allowing it to simmer for 1- 1 ½hours or until the beef is tender. Add the diced potatoes at this point and allow to cook for another 10-20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked all the way through. Top with cilantro and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

  • You can use beef chuck roast//top round// bottom round for this recipe. Really, any kind of 'stewing meat' will be fine!

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Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (9)

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Hearty Poblano Beef Stew Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

FAQs

What gives beef stew the best flavor? ›

Add spices such as turmeric, coriander and cumin at the early stage of cooking, when you are frying onions and garlic, to enhance the taste of the beef stew. Fresh herbs like coriander and bay leaves also contribute a distinct flavour without making the dish too spicy for the younger members of the family.

How to spice up beef stew? ›

Try adding soy sauce or Worcestershire for extra savory (or umami) flavor, a touch of honey or brown sugar for sweetness, lemon zest or vinegar for brightness or chili powder or smoked paprika for spice and depth.

How to make the perfect beef stew and the common mistakes to avoid? ›

The Five Most Common Beef Stew Mistakes
  1. Choosing a meat that's too lean. Stew is not meant for all cuts of meat. ...
  2. Putting too much flour on the stew meat before sautéeing them. ...
  3. Not using wine. ...
  4. Putting the meat and vegetables together in one pan. ...
  5. Not cooking it enough.
Jun 28, 2020

How do you add depth of flavor to beef stew? ›

There are flavors in tomatoes that are alcohol-soluble, so adding red wine along with tomato paste also helps to enhance beef stew." Laurence has a few other tricks I've borrowed to create the best beef stew, including adding Worcestershire, which gets a serious umami punch from anchovies.

How do you make stew taste richer? ›

If so here are some tips for making your stews tasty and have your family begging you for more!
  1. Choose your ingredients wisely. ...
  2. Start off with a good flavour base. ...
  3. Add vegetables. ...
  4. Add flavourings to taste. ...
  5. Add Herbs and/or Spices. ...
  6. Spices: (Optional) ...
  7. Add stock or wine/beer. ...
  8. Add thickeners.

What is the best thickener for beef stew? ›

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

What are the natural spices for stew? ›

Seasoning for soups and stews: Onion, carrot, sea salt, leek, garlic, toasted onion, celery seed, black pepper, lovage, wild garlic, thyme.

What is the best seasoning for beef? ›

Because of beef's hearty, robust nature, flavor-forward spices like garlic and onion or herbs like rosemary and oregano are the best choices for an unforgettable beef dinner.

Do you season the beef before stew? ›

Many stew recipes call for seasoning chunks of meat with salt before searing them or adding them unseared to the pot.

Why put tomato paste in beef stew? ›

A bit of tomato paste amps up the flavor of beef stew, giving it a richness and a punch of umami that makes the stew truly memorable.

When should celery be added to stew? ›

Once all the meat has been seared and transfered out of the pan, cook the vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium and warm another teaspoon of oil. Add the onions and celery, and cook until the onions are softened and translucent, 8-10 minutes.

Do I need tomato paste for beef stew? ›

Do you need tomato paste for beef stew? We recommend using tomato paste for this recipe. Tomato paste adds crucial flavor and body to the stew meat when cooked with herbs, garlic and wine.

When to add onions to stew? ›

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cover and cook, skimming broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, about 1½ hours. Add the onions and carrots and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more.

When should I add potatoes to stew? ›

Your onions will be fine, but mushy potatoes and carrots are a no-no. Instead, add them about 20 minutes before the end of cooking. When they're tender, the stew is done.

Why add vinegar to beef stew? ›

The addition of the vinegar adds subtle acidity that balances well with the soy sauce and the honey giving this otherwise super hearty beef stew a nice lightness to it. Feel free to add sweet potato noodles(glass noodles) or egg noodles to this dish, serve it alongside rice, or as-is.

How do you make stew taste more meaty? ›

How can I make my meat stew more "meaty"?
  1. Brown some cheap chewy cuts of lamb (salted an hr beforehand)
  2. Sweat a mire pox of carrots celery and onion (1:1:2)
  3. Cook in a bit of tomato puree.
  4. Add meat, red wine, chicken stock, water.
  5. Simmer for ~3hrs, then thicken with cornstarch.
Aug 28, 2014

How to brighten up beef stew? ›

It's easy to forget to add some sort of wine, vinegar, or yes, even lemon juice, to brighten things up. Adding some fresh thyme in the last 30 minutes of cooking can help brighten things up as well. But a squeeze of lemon juice at the very end can do wonders.

How to make beef stew less bitter? ›

Add sugar and/or ketchup to the stew to reduce the bitterness. Butter and salt also help to reduce the bitter taste.

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