Happy Halloween, Tartlets! I can’t think of a better way to enjoy a cozy autumn evening than with a hearty helping of this Apple Cider Beef Stew.
Why is Apple Cider Beef Stew the book-inspired recipe for The Frozen River?
Cider comes up quite often in The Frozen River. The novel is set during a New England winter, and steaming hot, stick-to-your-ribs stews are always on the menu at the village tavern.
Main character Martha often grabs stew and a cup of cider at the tavern. She also regularly serves up stews to her own family at home. This Apple Cider Beef Stew is a delicious dish that anyone in Martha’s village would happily tuck into.
While chicken features most often in the book (probably for cost reasons; red meat was expensive back then), I decided to make a beef stew instead. Because, well, I already have a lot of chicken recipes on this blog.
Why I love Apple Cider Beef Stew
I’m not a huge stew fan. But I am a sucker for anything made with apple cider.
Apple cider donuts, apple cake, apple fritters — most apple cider items are baked goods. While I’m not complaining about that, Apple Cider Beef Stew is a perfect way to convert this sweet autumn beverage into a savory experience.
Although I’m pretty sure Martha drinks hard cider in The Frozen River, I used classic, non-alcoholic apple cider that I found at my local farm.
It’s thicker than apple juice, which is great for creating a gravy as you finish cooking the stew.
Apple Cider Beef Stew is an easy supper to throw together. You brown the beef, you roughly chop the veggies and throw them in, add some spices and herbs, and pour in cups of fresh apple cider. I used thick chunks of carrot, celery, potatoes, and some mushrooms in my stew.
Everything simmers together for over an hour on the stove, until the meat is tender and the veggies are softened and saturated with flavor. Then you’re ready to eat because this dish is a one pot meal.
Yes, you need to cook Apple Cider Beef Stew for a long time
Be sure to cook the beef for the full time alloted in the recipe below. You might be tempted to take the stew off the heat as soon as the beef is cooked through. But that would be a mistake.
Stew meat is notoriously a tough cut of beef. This is why it needs so much cooking time — about an hour and a half. You’re not just cooking the beef through; you’re breaking it down until it softens and falls apart.
So, be patient. Keep the stew simmering on the stove until the beef shreds easily with a fork. I promise you’ll be rewarded.
What do you serve with Apple Cider Beef Stew?
I love Apple Cider Beef Stew served over cheesy polenta, creamy mashed potatoes, fluffy white rice, or buttered egg noodles. However, since it’s a one-pot meal, you don’t need to serve it over anything.
A great side like Honey Challah Bread, Thyme and Caraway Biscuits, and Cheese Scones is perfect for sopping up the stew’s rich brown gravy.
Celebrate the season with some autumnal desserts like Apple Crumble, Spiced Walnut Cookies, and Victorian Mourning Cakes, or even Fig and Pepper Bread spread with homemade apple butter.
Apple Cider Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb beef stew cubes (chuck meat)
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 white or yellow onion, quartered
- 2-3 carrots, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 3-4 celery stalks, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 large Idaho-type potatoes, chopped into in 1-inch chunks
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, whole or halved
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth (could also use beef broth or water)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground thyme
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cold water
Instructions
PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine the salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika, cinnamon, and cardamom into a small bowl.
- Pat dry your beef cubes with a paper towel, then sprinkle beef cubes all over with the seasoning mix so all sides are thoroughly coated.
- Chop the potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and onion, and set aside.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned beef on all sides to create a crust, 1-2 minutes on each side. Do this in two batches if you must so you don’t crowd the pan and steam the meat. Drain any excess fat from the pot.
- Pour a little of the apple cider over the beef and deglaze the bottom of the pan, getting up all the brown bits. Add the rest of the cider, the broth, dried thyme, dried sage, and mustard to the pot with the seared beef. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chopped potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, celery, onions, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme to the pot. Increase heat to bring mixture to a boil, then cover pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer the stew until the beef and vegetables are tender, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Whisk together the flour and the water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the beef stew and let simmer for 2-3 additional minutes.
- Taste Apple Cider Beef Stew and add any additional seasoning (you may need more salt, depending on how sweet your apple cider was).
- Serve Apple Cider Beef Stew while hot along with mashed potatoes, crusty bread, polenta, rice, or egg noodles.
