I don't eat much red meat, but when I get a hankering for it, the craving comes on strong. And for me, nothing satisfies a craving quite like a hot bowl of beef stew. That is, as long as it's a really flavorful beef stew, not the bland kind.
Luckily, long ago I discovered a budget-friendly and simple pantry ingredient that takes my beef stew to the next level. 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.
Why You Should Use Tomato Paste in Your Beef Stew
While I'd used tomato paste to deepen the flavor of pasta sauces and chilis, I owe the idea of adding tomato paste to beef stew to this fabulous classic beef stew recipe by Meredith Laurence of Blue Jean Chef.
I contacted Laurence to get the lowdown on why she adds tomato paste to her beef stew. "I include tomato paste in many braised recipes because it adds a depth of flavor without increasing the liquid quantity in the dish," Laurence explains. "Tomato paste is concentrated tomatoes and as a result has a concentrated flavor even in small amounts."
Like Laurence, I start by browning the meat in oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, then remove the meat from the pan and brown the aromatics like onions and garlic. I add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, which I cook for a few minutes before deglazing the pan with wine and proceeding with the recipe.
The key to using tomato paste in beef stew and other braises is to cook it briefly, rather than just globbing it into the liquid.
"Because the tomatoes in tomato paste have already been cooked, you don’t have to cook it, but toasting it with other aromatic ingredients (onions, garlic, dried herbs, and spices) does enhance the flavor even more and can bring out more toasted and sweeter notes," Laurence explains.
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"Whenever I add ingredients to a dish, I always think about the fact that flavors can be water-soluble, fat-soluble, or alcohol-soluble," Laurence adds, getting into the science behind the deliciousness of her beef stew recipe.
"This means that different flavors come out when combined with each of these different liquids. The flavor you get from tomato paste when you cook it in oil before adding liquid is different from the flavor you might get if you just stirred it into the liquid without cooking it in oil first," she explains. And as I've learned, it's always best to "toast" the tomato paste in the oil before adding any liquid.
Laurence further reveals that "adding wine or other alcohol brings out different flavors (those that are alcohol-soluble) that wouldn’t otherwise be expressed in the dish. 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."By combining tomato paste, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce in this beef stew recipe, you’re capturing as many flavor components as possible and ensuring a delicious meal," she says.
Other Popular Recipes Call For Tomato Paste
Laurence isn't the only one who uses the combo of tomato paste with fat and alcohol to bolster the flavor of beef stew. Culinary icon Julia Child uses tomato paste and red wine in her classic Beef Bourguignon and this hearty Irish Beef Stew uses tomato paste in addition to Guinness and red wine.
The great news is that you can use tomato paste to bring a depth of flavor to just about any meaty stew or braise. After you brown the meat and cook your aromatics, simply stir in a few tablespoons of tomato paste and heat it gently to amplify its flavors before continuing with your recipe—it's a budget-friendly, simple trick that makes all the difference.
Luckily, long ago I discovered a budget-friendly and simple pantry ingredient that takes my beef stew to the next level. 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.
For seasonings, I like Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and a good red wine. I've also used a dark beer in place of the wine and been very happy with the results. You can certainly play with your own favorite seasonings, but I would recommend keeping them fairly simple.
Coating the meat in flour and searing adds incredible color and flavor to the beef, which is then infused throughout the stew. It also creates browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and when we deglaze those with red wine, it takes the flavor to new heights.
I almost always add some beef bouillon crystals to my stew, it helps oomph (yes, a technical term) the beefiness of the stock. Sometimes also use a few shots of worcestershire sauce or soy sauce - both will also add some oomph to the flavor.
Paprika. Use regular or hot paprika if you want a little warmth and Smoked Paprika if you're after more of a barbeque style smoky flavour. Chilli and paprika work well with tomato based dishes where as herbs work best with gravy based stews.
If you're looking to improve flavor, try a squeeze of lemon, of a jigger of Worcestershire sauce. To improve presentation, chop carrots finely, boil separately and then add to the stew when ready. I'd mince some fresh parsley to go on top, or stir in dried parsley.
"Soups and stews really need to simmer for long periods to allow the ingredients to meld together. Taking that a step further, most soups and stews are better if you prepare them the day before serving. Allowing them to cool and then reheating them really helps bring out the flavors and textures."
Add the wine and tomato paste to the onions and other aromatics in a pan before slow cooking. Plus, this helps to really deglaze any fond that's left. This ingredient is one that your mum and nan would probably use in their stews. It adds a bit of tang, sweetness and savoury spices that give an extra punch of flavour.
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.
Beef tastes great when seasoned with oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic or a combination of these seasonings. Poultry gets an added burst of flavor with spices like paprika, lemongrass and saffron. Fish can be made more flavorful with dry mustard powder, thyme and turmeric.
Tomato paste is a pantry MVP: Its concentrated, almost meaty taste adds nuance and body to everything from pasta sauce to stews, casseroles and more. But home cooks tend to miss out on the flavor potential hiding out in that little can or tube.
So skip the roux, and don't bother dusting the meat with flour or cornstarch before browning, either, as some recipes will suggest. That will just interfere with getting a good sear on the meat, and gum up the stew with unneeded starch.
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.
Once the meat is tender - but not falling apart, add the potatoes, celery, carrots and butternut squash. Pour over another 2 cups of beef broth and enough water to cover the vegetables. Raise heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes - until the vegetables are tender.
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.
Add sugar and/or ketchup to the stew to reduce the bitterness. Butter and salt also help to reduce the bitter taste. Perhaps the beef fat has been cooked too hot and too long. All animal fats, when cooked very hot and very long, start to taste non optimal.
Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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