Dutch Oven Beef Stew with Red Wine and Pancetta
My dad has his own way with beef stew. He reaches for the pressure cooker, which gets the beef fork-tender in a fraction of the time. He keeps the vegetables classic, but varied depending on the mood: the carrots, potatoes, celery, and onions you’d expect in a bowl. He has been know to occasionally add a can of San Marzano tomatoes. His stew is wine-forward too, but I found out he has a little more self-control than to dump a whole bottle in the pot. It’s simple and unfussy, and nothing beats a warm bowl of it made by your dad. This recipe is a little more dressed up, but it’s a dedication to him and to the stew that reminds me what comfort tastes like.
This beef stew is the kind of dish that makes a house smell like fall by mid-afternoon. Chunks of chuck are seared in pancetta fat, then slowly braised in a full bottle of Pinot Noir with fennel, thyme, and garlic until the meat turns fork-tender and the sauce goes deep and glossy. Gold potatoes and earthy beets cook down into the pot, and browned mushrooms and pearl onions stirred in near the end keep a little bite and texture against all that richness. It’s a rustic, Bourguignon-inspired one-pot meal that asks for patience more than skill. Ladle it over buttered noodles, or keep it simple with a loaf of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.
Part of the Featured Table: Clarence’s Table
This recipe comes from November 2026’s Featured Table, where I cook my way through the dishes that shaped someone’s life. Read Clarence’s full story and see the rest of the recipes from their table. Also, browse current and past tables for your next inspired meal.
Dutch Oven Beef Stew with Red Wine and Pancetta
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs beef chuck or stew meat cut into 1 to 1½ inch cubes
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 4 oz pancetta or thick-cut bacon diced
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided (or more if needed)
- ½ yellow onion diced
- ½ fennel bulb diced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 bottle 750 ml Pinot Noir or other dry red wine; light tannins
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large beet peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 medium gold potatoes peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
- 8 oz pearl onions fresh or frozen, peeled
- 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms halved or quartered
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the pancetta or bacon until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Working in batches so the pot isn’t crowded, sear the beef on all sides in the pancetta fat, adding more olive oil as needed. Transfer the seared beef to the plate with the pancetta.
- If the pot looks dry, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the diced fennel, diced onion, and thyme until the onions have softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Cook until the paste darkens to a brick red.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for about 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer for about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the beef broth, bay leaves, seared beef and pancetta (with any juices from the plate), beets, and potatoes. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 2½ hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
- About 30 minutes before the stew is done, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Sauté the mushrooms and pearl onions with a pinch of salt and pepper until browned and just tender. Use a tablespoon or two of water to deglaze the pan to get up all the brown bits.
- Stir the mushrooms and pearl onions into the stew. Return the pot to the oven, uncovered, for the remaining 20 to 30 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly.
- Discard the bay leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve with some fresh parsley, butter noodles or crusty bread.
