Korean Beef Stew Recipe

Who doesn't love a hearty meal in a bowl? Food photographer and recipe developer Susan Olayinka from The Flexible Fridge brings us an undemanding approach with this Korean beef stew recipe. Are you ready to invigorate your menu but aren't sure where to start? Then you're in good hands. Olayinka's recipe only has 11 ingredients and takes just over 35 minutes to finish. 

As stews are famous around the world, they're often named after their place of origin or main ingredient. The first version of this hearty dish may not be recorded, however, the popularity of this worry-free and flexible meal is undeniable. Any combination of veggies and meats can be created for a personalized dish to taste. Olayinka shares, "It's a pretty simple recipe thankfully! It's just cooking meat in the stew mixture." Simply toss your ingredients into a pot to simmer and be patient. We guarantee this is the best way to warm everyone up this winter. 

Your stop at the store will be brief! You only need to grab two carrots, three garlic cloves, one reasonably-sized knob of ginger, 2 tablespoons of sesame seed oil, and 17 ounces of extra-lean beef (pre-diced). The star players in this stew are 3 cups of beef broth, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Also, be sure to have 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch on standby.

Begin the recipe by dicing up the carrots into bite-sized chunks, then set those aside. Next, mince the garlic cloves and ginger. Finely cutting the ingredients delivers nutrients with great taste. Claudia Sidoti, head chef of Hello Fresh tells Eat This, "Minced garlic will distribute more flavor in a dish and is perfect in sauces and marinades." Once you've chopped and minced the ingredients, pour the sesame seed oil in a pot over medium-high heat.

Place the minced garlic and ginger into the pot with the hot oil. Add in the diced beef and chopped carrots as well, mixing them together as they cook. Then pour in the beef broth, sugar, and soy sauce, along with the rice wine vinegar. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the contents simmer together on medium-high heat for 25 minutes. This is where all of the flavor will begin to develop.

While the stew is simmering prepare your cornstarch mixture. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the Korean beef stew broth into a small bowl. Whisk the cornstarch into the bowl of broth until a thickened texture emerges. Olayinka explains that there is a difference between stew and soup: "Stew tends to be thicker ... it's thickened by cornstarch, flour, or starch from potatoes, etc. Soup is thinner or broth-based." To achieve the hearty texture, reincorporate the cornstarch slurry into the Korean beef stew. Mix it in thoroughly and simmer for about 5 more minutes on medium-high heat.

Once all the elements mingle, turn off the heat — this delicious Korean Beef Stew is ready to be served. As a side, Olayinka suggests, "Over rice is the best way [to serve] stews!" We know this cozy meal may have your family asking for seconds. In case you want to keep leftovers, this can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. For anyone who cooks in bulk, this can certainly be frozen as well. This particular meal is perfect for the cold winter months so be sure to bookmark this recipe and relish it anytime!