Name: Nanna's beef stew recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 195 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 kg gravy beef cubed; 1 cup plain flour to coat; 1 pinch pepper; 2 onions sliced; 2 carrots large sliced; 4 potatoes large quartered; 4 cups water; 4 tsp beef stock (powder), heaped; 125.00 ml Tomato Sauce; 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbs sugar; 4 bay leaves

by Dianne62 Last updated on 10/31/2025

There’s a reason this is called Nanna’s beef stew. It’s because it’s warm and tender and wraps you in a big loving hug, just like Nanna would do. With melt-in-your-mouth chunks of gravy beef and veg, this is cold-weather comfort food at its best, and most delicious!

How to make Nanna's beef stew: key tips

If you’re not buying the beef already cut for you, cut the beef into bite-sized pieces. I would brown the flour-coated beef in a little oil in batches and set aside, then cook the onion and carrot in the pan until softened, before adding the potato and liquid. Cooking out the flour for a few minutes will eliminate any ‘raw flour’ taste later, and browning everything really elevates flavour.

Key ingredients in Nanna's beef stew recipe

Gravy beef (chuck) is a good choice for this stew as the usually tough cut becomes soft and tender after cooking for a few hours. You could also use topside, round, flank or skirt steak.

The tomato sauce gives this stew a tangy and sweeter flavour without the need to add more sugar. You can always use a tomato puree or a few tablespoons of tomato paste instead, if you prefer your sauce less sweet.

Stews are the perfect dinner to share with the family in winter. Here are some more of our best beef stews to try. These chicken casseroles are also worth browsing.

This recipe was originally submitted by Dianne62, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

1 kg gravy beef cubed
1 cup plain flour to coat
1 pinch pepper
2 onions sliced
2 carrots large sliced
4 potatoes large quartered
4 cups water
4 tsp beef stock (powder), heaped
1/2 cup Woolworths Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs sugar
4 bay leaves

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 160C.
Step 2

Toss meat in flour and season with cracked pepper.
Step 3

Place in a casserole dish.
Step 4

Add onions, carrots and potatoes.
Step 5

Combine water, beef stock, sauces and sugar.
Step 6

Pour over meat and vegetables.
Step 7

Add bay leaves.
Step 8

Mix until combined.
Step 9

Bake for 2 hours, then remove.
Step 10

Stir, then bake a further 1 hour.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

What other vegies could I add to Nanna's beef stew?

The onion, carrot and potatoes already used in this stew are what I call ‘typical stew vegies’. You could also add some chopped celery, parsnip or turnip. Green beans are also nice, but I wouldn’t add these in until about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time or they’ll become khaki in colour and flavourless.

How can I serve Nanna's beef stew?

As the stew already contains potatoes, you don’t really need any more of these. Some fresh crusty bread served alongside and slathered with fresh butter would be my choice. And it’s just brilliant for mopping up the gravy!