Try to add tomoto and tomoto sauce. I know this will sound odd but you should try to add Star Anise and Soy Sauce. Add around 4 or 5 star anise and a few table spoons of soy sauce. Also adds some ginger.
1. Tomato Sauce,
2. Star Anise (4 or 5)
3. Soy Sauce (4 or 5 table spoons)
4. Peeled Ginger (3 to 5, 1 inch chunks)
This will make it taste great.
Tomato sauce is a matter of whether or not you like a tomato gravy or beef gravy. I much prefer a beefy gravy but ymmv.
I also hate mushy potatoes in a beef stew which is why I don't add them until the last 30 minutes of cooking. Here's how I make a beef stew:
2 lbs. beef, cubed into 1-1/2 inch pieces
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large white onion, diced
4 large carrots cut into 3/8" coins
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1-1/2 cups red wine (a robust red, not a fruity one)
48 oz beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp honey
3 cups cubed potatoes (russets or yukon gold)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour
Salt and pepper the beef cubes. Add vegetable oil to a large stockpot over medium-high heat until the oil just starts to smoke. Add the beef cubes in batches. Do not crowd the pan. You want them to brown quickly without releasing a lot of moisture. Brown the cubes in at least 2, if not 3, separate batches and remove each batch to a bowl once they are browned.
After the beef is browned, lower the heat to medium. Add the onions and carrots. Cook until the onions become transluscent, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir vigorously to mix. Allow the tomato paste to brown slightly on the veggies in the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the wine. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the stockpot and allow the wine to reduce by 1/2, about 5 minutes. Add the beef stock, thyme, bay leaf, and honey. Return the beef to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a very low simmer. Cook at a low simmer, covered, stirring occassionally for 1-1/2 hours.
After 1-1/2 hours raise the heat to a medium boil and add the potatoes. Cook for 15 minutes, uncovered.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter until the foam begins to disappear and add the flour. Stir with a whisk to mix the flour with the butter until it just begins to brown slightly. You don't need a darkened roux for this dish so don't bother cooking it for long. Ladle some of the broth from the stew into the roux and whisk. Add another ladle and whisk, and then another. Now slowly whisk the thickened roux mixture into the stew until you reach the desired consistency. Continue to cook until the potatoes are done to your liking. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy with some crusty bread.
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