Beef Stew Halal Version (without wine)

There are many versions of Western style beef stew on the Internet, but many of them contain wine. Most websites will say, you can use beef stock as a substitute. But beef stock does not contain the acidity and sweetness, so you will still need something like grape juice for the sweet and sour components of this dish.

This recipe is adapted from Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes by once upon a chef. I changed a few ingredients to make it halal, and based on what I already had on hand.

This stew, as the author of the above blog suggests, did taste better the next day, what little of it that was left anyway. The gravy was still rich and thick. I could have used it on mashed potatoes. Maybe I would do that next time.

Beef stew is rather time-consuming. You need at least 2 hours to ensure the beef is fork-tender. But the result is well worth the effort.

INGREDIENTS — Serves 4

500g boneless beef chuck tender cubes, cut into 3 cm pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 2 cm chunks
3 cloves garlic, diced finely
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
15g all-purpose flour
250ml red grape juice
1000ml water
2 beef stock cubes
(alternatively, use 500ml water + 500ml beef broth instead of above 2 ingredients)
1 bay leaf
Sprig of basil leaves
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2.5-cm chunks
500g medium waxy potatoes, peeled and cut in half

METHOD:

Season beef with salt and pepper.
Heat large pan with olive oil until hot. Arrange the meat in one layer and leave for about 5 minutes, before turning with tongs. Let cook for another 5 minutes, or until the beef chunks develop a brown crust. Dish out and set aside.
Into the same pan, add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Stir for about 5 minutes. If there are any brown bits at the bottom from the beef, scrape them into the mixture.
Add tomato paste and continue cooking for a couple more minutes.
Add the seared beef back into the pan. Stir in the flour for about 2 minutes.
Pour in the grape juice, water, beef stock cubes, bay leaf and basil leaves.
Mix thoroughly while scraping any remaining bits stuck at the bottom of the pot. Bring to boil, the lower the heat and cover the pot.
Let the stew simmer for about an hour.
Add potatoes and carrots. Continue cooking for another hour, until the beef is tender when pierced with a fork, and the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Serve hot with bread or rice.

NOTES:

The amount of beef in this recipe just about fits into the skillet that I use. If you double the recipe or use a smaller pan, sear the meat in 2 batches to ensure sufficient browning.
The balsamic vinegar I use is Alce Nero organic, a halal brand. There are also other halal brands available at supermarkets or online.
I use 100% grape juice with no sugar added.
If using russet or other floury potatoes, add them near the end of cooking time.