Beef stew is easy to make but you can make it tastier with one simple ingredient (Image: Getty)
Beef stew is one of the most comforting meals to make during the cold, frosty weather, and there is a simple way to make this dish much tastier.
Joanne Ozug, a expert from has revealed that adding anchovy paste to beef stew will make it much more flavorful and richer.
She said: “Anchovy paste might sound strange, but it adds a wonderful umami and saltiness that really deepens the flavour of the stew. I actually keep a tube of it on hand (no bones!) in the fridge for all sorts of things, including Caesar Salad.
“I promise it does not make the beef stew taste fishy at all. I actually forget that it’s in there.”
It may seem bizarre, but anchovy paste contains glutamates, which dissolve into the stew to give it a deeper and more satisfying taste.
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Adding anchovy paste may seem unusual but will add more flavour to the stew (Image: Getty)
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Beef stew recipe
Ingredients
- Two pounds of beef cut into chunks
- One ounce of dried porcini mushrooms
- One large yellow onion
- Two large carrots
- Three ribs of celery
- One large parsnip
- Two cups of beef bone broth
- 12 ounces of bacon (chopped)
- One tablespoon of anchovy paste
- Five sprigs of thyme
- Three sprigs of rosemary
- One bay leaf
- Salt
Method
Before you begin, remove the beef from the fridge and let it sit until it reaches room temperature, which should roughly take 30 minutes.
Also, soak the porcini mushrooms in a water bowl for 20 minutes. While you are waiting, chop up the other vegetables (onion, carrots, celery, and parsnip).
Stain the soaked mushrooms in a strainer, saving the liquid. Then, finely chop the mushrooms.
Heat your pan on medium-high heat on the stove and add the chopped bacon. Cook for eight to 10 minutes until the bacon is crispy.
Ypur beef stew will be richer and more satisfying (Image: Getty)
Once the bacon is cooked, remove it and place it on a plate with a slotted spoon. Brown the beef slices on all sides and then place them on the plate with the bacon.
Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery and parsnip to the pan, then add a pinch of salt. Cook the vegetables for 10 minutes to soften them.
Next, combine everything in the pan. Add the browned beef, bacon, chopped mushrooms, and all the juices. Also add the bone broth, anchovy paste, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf.
Stir everything together and bring the stew to a boil. Then, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer so it is medium-low.
Cook the stew for one hour. Check it is ready after the time is up by poking the beef and vegetables with a fork. If both are tender, it is ready to eat; otherwise, let it cook for 20 to 30 minutes more.
Do a final taste, check the seasoning and then your mouthwatering beef stew is ready to serve.