This Dutch oven beef stew skips the wine and skips my least favorite part of making stew: cutting up raw meat. I sear the chuck roast whole, let the oven cook it for about 3 hours, then shred it with two forks right before returning it to the pot.

Overhead view of beef stew in a white bowl.

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Balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and a splash of soy sauce do the job the wine usually does, and the broth still comes out rich and thick.

We don’t keep alcohol in our house, including wine for cooking, so this stew had to stand on its own.

If it’s soup weather at your house too, my roasted tomato soup with basil and creamy mushroom orzo soup are good ones to keep in the rotation.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

No raw meat to cube. The roast goes in whole and comes out ready to pull apart.
No wine to buy. The three ingredients that replace it are probably already in your fridge door.
About 30 minutes of hands-on work. After that, the oven does the rest while you get on with your afternoon.
It’s even better the next day, and it freezes for up to 3 months.

Ingredients

Chuck roast: Look for one with plenty of white marbling. That fat is what turns it fork-tender. Skip the packages labeled “stew meat,” especially lean-looking ones.
Low-sodium chicken broth: I use chicken broth instead of beef. Most boxed beef broth tastes more like seasoning than beef, while chicken broth lets the seared chuck carry the flavor. Store-bought is fine, or use homemade chicken broth if you have some in the freezer.
Balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce: This trio replaces wine. More on how that works below.
Parsnips: I love the gentle sweetness they add next to the carrots. Not a parsnip person? No worries, use all carrots.
Baby yellow potatoes: Halved, no peeling needed. Yukon golds cut into chunks work too.

See the recipe card below for full measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

Beef: Brisket or a round roast can stand in for chuck, though cook times may vary.
Other meats: Lamb shoulder, pork shoulder cut into chunks, or bone-in chicken thighs. Chicken will cook much faster than beef.
Potatoes: Turnips or cauliflower instead, or skip the potatoes and serve the stew over buttered egg noodles.
Carrots: Sweet potatoes for a sweeter stew.
Add-ins: Stir in frozen peas, browned mushrooms, kale, or spinach right before serving.
Broth: Vegetable broth works for a lighter flavor.
Herbs: Fresh thyme works in place of dried. Use about 3 times as much fresh as dried.

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

Step-by-step instructions

Chuck roast seasoned with salt and pepper on a white plate.

Season the roast. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pat the chuck roast dry and season it all over with salt and pepper.

A large, browned beef roast searing in a light-colored enameled cast iron pot.

Sear the roast. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the roast on 2 sides for about 10 minutes. Move it to a plate.

A wooden spoon stirs sautéed onions and garlic browning in a light-colored Dutch oven.

Cook the onions. Add the onions, garlic, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, and cook for about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

A wooden spoon stirring a mound of white flour into sautéed onions and tomato paste in a large enameled pot.

Add the tomato paste and flour. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle in the flour and stir until it disappears, 1–2 minutes.

Chuck roast in broth with a bay leaf, ready to braise.

Braise. Return the beef and its juices to the pot. Add the chicken broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, and sugar; bring it to a boil, cover, and braise in the oven for 2 hours 20 minutes.

Carrots, parsnips, and potatoes added around the braised chuck roast.

Add the vegetables. Add the carrots, parsnips, and potatoes, cover, and return the pot to the oven for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables and beef are tender.

Shredded chuck roast on a wooden cutting board with two forks.

Shred the beef. Lift the beef onto a cutting board and pull it apart with two forks, removing any large pieces of fat. Skim any fat off the top of the stew.

Dutch oven beef stew with shredded beef, potatoes, and carrots.

Finish. Remove the bay leaf, taste and adjust the seasoning, and stir the shredded beef back into the pot.

What replaces the wine in beef stew

Wine brings acidity, a little sweetness, and depth. Here’s how this beef stew without wine covers all three:

Balsamic vinegar brings acidity and a little sweetness, and it lifts the browned bits off the bottom of the pot as wine would.
Worcestershire sauce adds the deep, savory backbone.
Soy sauce adds saltiness and more savory depth.
Tomato paste, cooked for a minute before the flour goes in, adds color and body

Red wine is traditional in beef stew, but it isn’t necessary. This trio gives the broth plenty of depth on its own.

Why I braise beef stew in the oven

An oven surrounds the pot with steady heat, so nothing scorches on the bottom and you don’t have to stand there stirring. That’s what makes oven beef stew so hands-off. Once the lid is on, you can leave it alone until you add the vegetables.

Why I shred the chuck roast instead of cubing it

Honestly, I don’t love cutting up raw meat. Searing the roast whole is faster, and after 3 hours in the oven, the beef pulls apart with two forks. You end up with tender shreds of beef all through the broth instead of a few big chunks.

What to serve with beef stew

Crusty bread: My mom always served pumpernickel with beef stew, and it’s still my favorite pairing. A baguette or sourdough is great for soaking up the broth too.
Mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles: Especially if you skipped the potatoes in the stew.
Green beans: Steamed or sautéed, for something crisp on the side.
Rice or creamy polenta: Both are a good base to spoon the stew over.

Sarah’s Tips

Get a real sear. Pat the roast dry and let it develop a deep brown crust before turning it. It helps with flavor.
If your pot is too small for the whole roast, cut the beef into large pieces and sear them in batches. Mine is a 7.25-quart Dutch oven.
Not shredding easily? If the beef resists your forks at the end, put the lid back on and return the pot to the oven for 15–20 minutes. It just needs a little more time.
To thicken a thin stew, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with a little cold water, stir it in, and simmer until thickened. If it’s too thick, stir in broth a little at a time.
Make it a day ahead. It reheats well, and you can loosen it with a splash of chicken broth.

Recipe FAQs

Yes. Keep it covered on the lowest setting for the same amount of time. The oven is just more hands-off.

You can, but I prefer the roast. Packaged stew meat is often trimmings from multiple cuts, so some pieces get tender while others stay chewy. If the label says chuck, you’re in better shape. Sear the pieces in batches, then follow the recipe as written.

Three bowls of Dutch oven beef stew with crusty bread.

Storage

Fridge: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.

Freezer: Freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheating: Warm it on the stove over medium-low heat until it’s hot all the way through (165°F), adding a splash of chicken broth if it has thickened. Reheat only what you’ll eat.