Easy Beef Stew with Mashed Potatoes

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle the beef cubes on all sides with salt and pepper.

Step 2. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbling, add about ⅓ of the beef cubes to the pot, making sure not to crowd them in the pot.

Step 3. Allow them to sear for 1-2 minutes on each side, then transfer the meat to a bowl or plate. Add the second tablespoon of butter and repeat browning the rest of the meat. Set the meat aside.

Step 4. Add onions, celery and carrots to the pot and stir with a wooden spoon to pull up the browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Saute the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, until they soften. Add the sliced garlic and stir until the garlic is fragrant, then stir in the tomato paste.

Step 5. Add the water/broth and red wine. Bring the mixture to a boil and add in the thyme leaves. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven for 2 hours.

Step 6. Use your Thermopro thermometer to check the center of the largest piece of beef. For a tender stew, you are looking for the center of the beef chunks to be around 200 degrees.

Step 7. Add a little more water or broth if the beef is looking too dry and place the pot back into the oven, checking every additional 20-30 minutes until the desired temperature is reached.

Step 8. While the beef is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in the potato chunks and cover the pot until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes and mash them with butter, milk, salt and pepper.

Step 9. Serve the stew alongside the mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley and black pepper before eating.