Homemade Beef Stew in a Bread Bowl

Beef stew in a bread bowl

In a world of convenience foods, making stew from scratch connects us back to generations before us when meals were built around seasonal ingredients, preserved meats, and practical cooking methods.

There’s just something deeply comforting about a pot of beef stew simmering on the stove, the kind that fills the house with warmth and brings everyone to the kitchen asking, “Is it ready yet?” On our homestead, meals like this aren’t just about feeding bellies, they’re about slowing down, using what we have, like pulling the carrots from your own garden, and gathering around the table with intention.

This homemade beef stew, paired with a freshly baked bread bowl, is a reminder that some of the best meals are made from simple ingredients, a little patience, and a lot of love.

Homestead-Style Beef Stew (From Scratch)

Ingredients

1 lb. Beef tips or chuck roast

2-3 Tbsp. olive oil or tallow

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 carrots, sliced

4 potatoes, cubed

4 cups beef broth

1 cup water

1 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Directions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Toss the beef in some flour and brown the beef to build flavor, add onions and garlic and sauté until tender.

2. Add carrots, potatoes, broth, water, and seasonings.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Low and slow is key here, homestead cooking at its best.

4. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning before serving.

Baking a Simple Bread Bowl at Home

There’s something incredibly satisfying about baking bread from scratch. Bread bowls are surprisingly simple and pair beautifully with hearty soups and stews.

Bread Bowl

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

1 packet active dry yeast

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar or honey

1 1/4 cups warm water

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar (or honey) in warm water. Keep it in a warm area and sit for 10 minutes or until bubbly.

2. Mix flour and salt in a large bowl, add yeast mix and oil. Knead until smooth.

3. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled (about 1 hour).

4. Divide dough into 4-6 equal portions. Shape into round loaves.

5. Place on a baking sheet, cover and let rise 20-30 minutes.

6. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

7. Once cooled slightly, hollow out centers and ladle in hot stew.

Gluten Free Bread Bowl

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. Psyllium husk

1 1/2 cups warm water (110°), divided

2 tsp. active dry yeast

2 Tbsp. honey

1 1/2 cups Buckwheat Flour

1 cup Potato Starch

1 cup Sorghum Flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Add 1 cup water in a small saucepan and heat to 110°, add honey and yeast. Place in a warm spot for 10 minutes or more until bubbly.

2. Mix Buckwheat flour, potato starch, sorghum flour, and salt in a bowl, I like to sift them all together.

3. Combine 1/2 cup warm water (110°) and Psyllium husk in a bowl, mix until smooth. It sets up quick, like really quick.

4. Combine flour mixture, apple cider vinegar, yeast and Psyllium husk mixture in a mixing bowl. With a paddle attachment, mix all the ingredients until combined (about 3 minutes). Switch to a dough hook and mix for 10 minutes.

5. Remove dough and divide into 4 equal sections. Place each dough ball in a bowl and drape with a damp towel. Put in a warm spot and allow to rise for about an hour. If you have a warm day, put them on your front porch in the sun and let the sun raise them for you. It may not take a whole hour if in the sun, so just keep an eye on them.

6. Preheat the oven to 480° with a cast iron Dutch oven (or two) inside. When dough is done rising, make cuts in the dough balls and place them on the parchment paper and put into a cast iron. We're able to put two balls into one Dutch oven.

7. Bake with the lid on for 20 minutes and then remove the lids and reduce heat to 450° for another 40 minutes or until brown.

8. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

9. Cut out the top parts of the bowl and fill with your beef stew.

Homestead Tips

1. For the regular bread, you can bake your bread in a cast iron Dutch oven if you'd like. This gives a lovely taste to the bread as well.

2. When using gluten free flour, it's important to note that you do divide the dough into four sections before you allow it to rise. Gluten free dough behaves differently that wheat dough. If you allow it to rise first and then divide, you will knock out the air, lose structure and end up with a denser bowl that doesn't hold soup well.

3. Buckwheat flour gives a great structure and flavor in gluten free bread bowls.

Bringing It All Back to the Table

Meals like homemade beef stew and bread bowls remind us why cooking from scratch still matters. It’s about more than food, it’s about tradition, stewardship, and gathering together in a meaningful way. Whether you’re cooking on acreage, in a backyard, or in a small kitchen, this meal proves that homestead-style living starts right where you are.

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