Cozy Fall Beef Stew

This Cozy Fall Beef Stew is perfect for a rainy day. We've got braising beef chunks cooked with tomatoes, aromatics and kohlrabi until fall apart tender.

It's a great option for batch cooking, meal prep and freezing. It's rich, creamy and packed full of flavor and protein. You can serve it with cauliflower rice, with more kohlrabi or just as it is.

Tips & Substitutions

In this hearty stew kohlrabi is your best option but it can be replaced with any of these alternatives: turnips, rutabaga (swede) or broccoli stalks. Less suitable but still delicious: cauliflower, zucchini (courgettes) or green beans.

To make this stew you will either need the Instant Pot or any pressure cooker. You could even make this stew in a Dutch oven or a slow cooker. Here are some tips.

Oven Baking

Preheat the oven to 150 °C/ 300 °F. Place all ingredients in a large baking dish (optionally you can brown the onion and meat before baking). Cover with foil or a lid and bake for 4 hours.

Add some water if needed (check half way through to ensure the haven't dried out). After 4 hours, remove the foil and increase the temperature to 200 °C/ 400 °F. Cook for another 15-20 minutes. Then, follow the instructions from step 7.

Dutch Oven

Grease a large Dutch oven (6 -quart/L or more) with ghee. Add chopped onion and cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Then add garlic and cook for a minute. Add the chopped kohlrabi, salt, pepper, paprika, allspice, bay leaves and tomatoes. Add 1 to 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over a high heat and then turn down to low.

Cook for 4 hours, checking every hour to ensure there is enough juices. If needed, add a cup or two more water. When done, take off the heat. Optionally, crisp up in the oven preheated to 200 °C/ 400 °F for 15-20 minutes. Then, follow the instructions from step 7.

Slow Cooker

Optionally, you can brown the onion and meat before adding into the slow cooker. Place all ingredients in the slow cooker (6 -quart/L or more). Cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Optionally, crisp up in the oven preheated to 200 °C/ 400 °F for 15-20 minutes. Then, follow the instructions from step 7.

Preparation time

Hands-on:    30 minutes
Overall:      1 hour 30 minutes

Nutritional values (per serving, about 285 g/ 10 oz stew)

Total Carbs	11.1	grams
Fiber	5.6	grams
Net Carbs	5.5	grams

Protein	31.9	grams
Fat	39.7	grams
of which Saturated	18.6	grams

Energy	530	kcal

Magnesium	59	mg (15% RDA)
Potassium	991	mg (50% EMR)

Macronutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (4%), protein (25%), fat (71%)

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

1.2 kg boneless beef such as brisket or braising steak (2.65 lb)
900 g kohlrabi or turnips, peeled and diced (2 lbs)
1 medium red onion, chopped (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
2 tbsp ghee or avocado oil (30 ml)
1 can tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes (400 g/ 14.1 oz)
¹/₂ tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp Hungarian paprika
2 to 3 bay leaves
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
¹/₂ tsp ground black pepper
³/₄ cup heavy whipping cream (180 ml/ 6 fl oz)
4 tbsp chopped parsley to serve
Optional: cauliflower rice, to serve

Instructions

Cut the beef into large 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. You can use brisket, braising or stewing steak. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
Peel the kohlrabi (or use turnips instead of kohlrabi). Slice them into about ¹/₂-inch (1 cm) pieces. Chop the celery stalks. Set all the vegetables aside.
Peel and dice the onion. Set your Instant Pot to Sauté and grease with ghee (you will need a 6 or 8-quart/L Instant Pot or pressure cooker). Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the beef chunks. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until browned from all sides.
Add the canned tomatoes, paprika, allspice, bay leaves and sliced kohlrabi.
Turn the Sauté off. Cover with a lid and set to Manual. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. When the program has finished, let the steam release naturally for 15-20 minutes, and then turn the valve to venting to release the remaining steam.
Once cooked, remove the lid and discard the bay leaves. Use a ladle to transfer half of the juices and some of the kohlrabi pieces (no more than half) into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat and cook for a few minutes to reduce to about half of the original volume.
Take off the heat and pour in the cream. Use a stick blender and process until smooth and creamy. Transfer back into the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately with freshly chopped parsley and optionally with some cooked cauliflower rice.
To store, let it cool down and refrigerate for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.