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A close-up shot of the hearty beef and vegetables in the spooky Halloween stew, showing the rich texture of the broth.

Witches Brew Stew: The Ultimate Halloween Recipe

Cast a delicious spell with this Witches Brew Stew! A hearty, flavorful beef and vegetable stew with a spooky Halloween twist. Perfect for parties, easy to make, and designed to look like it's straight from a cauldron.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 3 lbs Beef Chuck cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 1 large Yellow Onion chopped
  • 3 Carrots peeled and sliced
  • 3 Celery Stalks sliced
  • 4 cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 6 cups Beef Broth low-sodium
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes cubed
  • Salt and Black Pepper to taste
  • 1 cup Fresh Spinach optional, for natural green color

Equipment

  • 1 Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Knife

Method
 

  1. Pat the beef cubes dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.
  3. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Pour in a splash of beef broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Return the beef to the pot.
  6. Add the remaining beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.
  7. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
  8. Add the potatoes and optional spinach. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 45-60 minutes, or until the beef and potatoes are tender.
  9. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Notes

For a thicker stew, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir it into the stew during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
For a spooky presentation, serve in a Dutch oven and follow safety guidelines to use a small amount of dry ice nearby for a fog effect (do not add directly to the stew).