The only Hawaiian Beef Stew Recipe you’ll ever need
Hawaiian beef stew is a local classic. You’ll find in the menu at BBQ take out spots all over the islands and for good reasons. If we think about a good ol’ home cooked meal that is a soul food feast, Hawaiian beef stew is at the top of the list! I’ve had my fare share of testing and trying different recipes and after trying this one last week - its officially a HIT!
Save this Hawaiian beef stew recipe to Pinterest or share this link with a friend so you can enjoy it at home. It’s great for those times you see a chuck roast in the meat department for cheap (I just bought 2lbs for $10) and you’ll actually know what to do with it!
Recipe Source: Plays Well With Butter
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup all-purpose flour, divided
2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed & cubed into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
4 medium carrots, peeled as desired & cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium yellow onions, peeled & cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (one) 8-ounce can tomato sauce
½ cup shoyu (or low-sodium soy sauce)
½ cup Worcestershire sauce (this really packs in the flavor)
4 cups low-sodium beef stock, divided
for serving, as desired: rice
INSTRUCTIONS
Season the beef: Place ¼ cup of the flour in a medium bowl. Using paper towels, pat the stew meat as dry as possible, then season generously with the salt and ground black pepper. Dredge the seasoned stew meat in the flour, coating the meat well but shaking off any excess flour. Set aside.
Brown the beef: Add the olive oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat (I use a 5-quart Dutch oven). Once the oil & hot and shimmering, add in the beef, shaking off any excess flour before adding it into the pot. Brown 2-3 minutes per side, working in batches as necessary to avoid overcrowding the pot.
Build the Hawaiian beef stew: Once the beef is browned, add the remaining ingredients into the pot: celery, carrots, onions, potatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, shoyu, Worcestershire, & 3 ½ cups of the beef stock. Stir to combine.
Cook the Hawaiian beef stew: Increase the heat to high to bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover & simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fall-apart tender. Add the remaining ½ cup beef stock & ¼ cup all-purpose flour to a bowl or jar, whisking or shaking vigorously to combine until a slurry forms. While stirring, gradually pour the slurry into the beef stew. The stew should thicken almost immediately. Simmer 1-2 minutes longer to cook off the flour.
Serve the Hawaiian beef stew island-style, over a bed of rice. Enjoy
NOTES
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing:
Storage Instructions: Hawaiian beef stew stores incredibly well – it’s the type of recipe that gets even more flavorful as it sits! Transfer cooled Hawaiian beef stew to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Easily reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
Freezing Instructions: Hawaiian beef stew is also incredibly freezer-friendly. To freeze, transfer cooled Hawaiian beef stew to a freezer container or divide it up between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen Hawaiian beef stew the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Easily reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
10-Minute Meal Prep: While there’s lots of stove time involved in making this Hawaiian beef stew, you can eliminate all of the active work involved by chopping up the beef & veggies in advance. To meal prep, complete the following tasks, & at dinnertime, all you have to do is get cooking – easy!
Trim & cube 2 pounds beef chuck. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Finely slice 2 stalks of celery, & chop 3 medium carrots & 3 medium yellow onions into 1-inch pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
Alternate cooking methods:
OVEN-BRAISED HAWAIIAN-STYLE BEEF STEW: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-4, above. Rather than cooking on the stovetop, transfer the covered pot to a 325 degree F oven. Braise in the oven for 2 1/2 – 3 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender. Complete the recipe according to Step 4, above, & serve.
SLOW COOKER HAWAIIAN BEEF STEW: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-2, above. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker, along with remaining ingredients, as described in Step 3. Slow cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender. Finish as directed in Step 4. If your slow cooker has a searing/browning feature, you can use it to cook this entire Hawaiian beef stew recipe (Steps 1-4) in the slow cooker.
INSTANT POT HAWAIIAN BEEF STEW: Use the Instant Pot’s “Sauté” setting to cook the recipe according to Steps 1-3, above. Cover & seal the Instant Pot. Cook on manual high pressure for 35 minutes. Carefully quick release by flicking the valve to its “venting” position. Switch the Instant Pot back to its “Sauté” setting, & finish the beef stew as directed in Step 4.
