September is now here and many of us are craving some comfort food recipes as autumn approaches, and there is no heartier meal than beef stew. Making beef stew is really easy, but Katie Workman, a cook and founder of The Mom 100, says the key to making the meat taste even better is to cook it in apple cider vinegar.

She said: “This apple cider beef stew recipe with potatoes and carrots is a nice change of pace from the usual tomato and beef broth-based stews. The sweetness and light acidity of the cider makes this stew feel highly autumnal, and it’s a great reason to pick up a jug of apple cider at a farm stand.”

It might sound a little bizarre, but the acidity in apple cider vinegar helps break down the proteins in the meat as it cooks, which enhances the flavour and makes it more tender.

Beef stew can also be quite a heavy dish, but the natural sweetness of apple cider cuts through the fat which also brightens up the taste.

Apple cider vinegar is a simple way to enhance the flavour of the meat and gravy in beef while also making it a more rustic recipe so you can get enjoy cooking autumn meals again.

How to make beef stew more flavourful with apple cider vinegar

You will need:

• 990g of beef stew meat
• One large onion
• Two large leeks
• Two large baking potatoes
• Three large carrots
• One teaspoon of thyme
• 480ml of apple cider (or red wine if you prefer)
• Two tablespoons of apple brandy
• One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• Two tablespoons of tomato purée
• Two tablespoons of plain flour
• Salt and pepper
• Two tablespoons of olive oil

Method:

To begin, prepare your ingredients. Slice up leeks and onion and cut the meat into chunks.

Season the beef with salt and pepper, then sprinkle it with flour. Add oil to a large pot and bring it to a medium-high heat.

Once the oil is shimmering, add the beef to the pan, but make sure not to overcrowd the bottom of your pan. Cook the beef for two minutes, and then turn it over for cook for another two minutes until it is brown on all sides.

Place the beef on a plate for now, and pour away most of the excess fat until you are with two tablespoons in the pot.

Pour two tablespoons of oil in the same pot, and place on a medium heat. Add the onions, leeks and thyme to the pot and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened.

Once the leeks and onions are done, put them on the same plate as the beef. Then, place the pan on a high heat and add the tomato purée, brandy, apple cider (or wine) and apple cider vinegar.

Scrape the bottom of the pan to get any of the browned bits for more flavour, then return the meat and vegetables to the pot.

Lower the heat to medium-low, so the stew is gently simmering, then cover it partially with a lid and let it cook for two hours until the meat becomes really tender.

Stir the pot occasionally during the two hours, and add more apple cider if the meat looks dry. When the time is up, cut the carrots and chop the potatoes into cubes and add to the stew.

Let the stew cook for another 30 to 40 minutes until all the vegetables are completely tender. The bubbling beef stew will then be ready to eat and the meat should melt-in-your-mouth as soon as you take the first bite.