Brisket Beef Stew with Wild Rice & Vegetables

Trim the fat cap on top of the brisket until it's about 1/4-inch thick. Discard the extra fat. Then, cut the brisket into 3-4 steaks that are about 1 1/2-2 inches thick. Pat the steaks dry and season all sides generously with salt and pepper.

Then, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it's very hot and shimmering. Sear the steaks until they have a dark brown crust, about 2-3 minutes per side. Work in batches, if needed. (You don't want to over-crowd the pot or the beef will steam instead of sear.) Then, let the steaks rest for about 10 minutes.

After the steaks have rested, slice them into 1-2 inch cubes. Toss the beef cubes with the all-purpose flour until the flour is mostly dissolved. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Return the Dutch oven to the stove. Melt the butter over medium-high heat. Then, add the onions, carrots, celery, and a big pinch of salt. Sauté the veggies just until they're slightly softened and starting to brown on the edges. Spoon the veggies into a bowl. Let them cool, cover, and refrigerate for later.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste is dark red and the herbs are fragrant.

Deglaze the Dutch oven with the red wine. Simmer, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until the wine is reduced by half.

Next, add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and the seared brisket along with any leftover juices. Stir well and bring the stew to a gentle boil.

Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Cover the Dutch oven, tilting the lid so steam can escape. Place the pot in the oven and braise for 2 1/2-3 hours, until the brisket is very tender. If the brisket is not tender after 3 hours, give it another 30 minutes.

Once the brisket is fork tender, carefully remove the pot from the oven and return it to the stovetop. If the liquid has reduced too much, pour another cup of beef broth into the stew.

Using a fine-mesh sieve, rinse the wild rice until the water runs clear, about 1-2 minutes. Add the rinsed wild rice and reserved veggies along with any juices to the stew.

Bring the stew to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Gently simmer the rice according to the package directions, about 45-50 minutes.

Right before serving, stir the frozen peas into the stew until they're warmed through. Discard the bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy!