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German Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes

German beef stew with carrots and potatoes that turns tender chuck cubes in a dark beer-braised, paprika-forward gravy. Simmers until the vegetables are cooked through, with a caraway and parsley finish.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef chuck
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
salt
  • 1.5 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
butter or oil
  • 3 tbsp butter or oil
onions
  • 2 onions, sliced
garlic
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
sweet paprika
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
caraway seeds
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
German dark beer
  • 12 oz German dark beer
beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
potatoes
  • 1.5 lb potatoes, cubed
carrots
  • 4 carrots, sliced thick
fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef with salt and black pepper, then toss with all-purpose flour until evenly coated. Heat 3 tablespoons butter or oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high until shimmering.
  2. Brown the beef in batches for 6-8 minutes, turning so the cubes develop deep color. Move browned beef to a plate and repeat until all beef is browned.
Build the beer-braised base
  1. Reduce heat to medium and cook sliced onions for 8-10 minutes until golden. Add minced garlic, tomato paste, sweet paprika, and caraway seeds and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  2. Pour in the German dark beer and scrape the pot to loosen browned bits. Stir in beef broth, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and bay leaves.
  3. Return the browned beef to the pot, cover, and simmer at 185-205°F for 1 1/2 hours. Check occasionally to keep a gentle simmer and prevent boiling over.
Cook the vegetables and serve
  1. Add cubed potatoes and thick-sliced carrots, then stir to submerge in the braising liquid. Simmer uncovered at 185-205°F for 45-60 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  2. Remove bay leaves and top the stew with chopped fresh parsley before serving. Let stand 5 minutes so the gravy clings to the meat and vegetables.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t rush the browning—deep color boosts flavor and thickens the gravy as it simmers. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot throughout. Freeze up to 3 months (potatoes may soften further on thawing). For a different dietary approach, swap the butter/oil amount to olive oil and use a low-sodium broth if you’re reducing sodium.