Savory Apple Cider Beef Stew
This is a warm, naturally sweet, fall stew with beef and apples that was inspired by my mother-in-law. I make this for my husband and I, and save half for another meal. We've found that it tastes even better the second day!
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef stew meat cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme Optional
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 ½ cups apple cider
- 4 carrots sliced
- 3 potatoes chopped
- 2 small Fuji apples - peeled cored, and chopped
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup water
- 1 stalk celery chopped (Optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme Optional
Instructions
- Combine beef with flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon thyme in a bowl; toss to coat evenly.
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add beef; cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in apple cider with a wooden spoon while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pan; reduce heat to medium low, and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 hour.
- Add carrots, potatoes, apples, onion, water, celery, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme to the pot; continue cooking until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more.