Cider Beef Stew

Cider beef stew is the autumn version of the Sunday-supper classic. Apple cider replaces the usual beef broth, giving the braising liquid a faint sweetness that plays beautifully against a tablespoon of vinegar and a hit of dried thyme. As the beef simmers for nearly two hours, the cider reduces into a rich, jammy gravy that clings to every cube.

The flour-coating step is doing two jobs at once. It builds a browned crust on the beef as it sears, and the residual flour thickens the broth without you needing a slurry later. Skip the toss in flour and you’ll end up with a thin, watery stew.

Carrots, celery, potatoes, and onion go in for the last 45 minutes, just long enough to soften without going to mush.

Pro Tips

• Use unfiltered fresh apple cider, not apple juice. The juice is too sweet and lacks the body the cider provides.
• Brown the beef in batches with a screaming-hot pan. Crowding causes the meat to steam and stay gray instead of building that mahogany crust.
• Add the vegetables in the right order. Carrots and celery first, then potatoes and onion shortly after, so everything finishes at the same time.
• Let the stew rest 15 minutes off the heat before serving. The flavors marry and the broth thickens slightly as it cools toward the right serving temperature.

Variations

• Stir in a half cup of dried apricots or chopped dried apple in the last hour for a deeper fruit-and-meat flavor.
• Swap thyme for rosemary or add both for a more complex herb backbone.
• Splash in a quarter cup of bourbon or hard cider when adding the liquids for an adult-only depth.