Beef Stew Meat

Store in the coldest part of your fridge. Freeze raw meat in an airtight container or vacuum-sealed bag to prevent freezer burn. Thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking.

Pat meat dry with paper towels before browning—this helps develop a flavorful crust.

Brown the meat in batches over medium-high heat. Overcrowding the pan will steam it instead of searing.

Cut pieces to roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

Tougher cuts with some fat and connective tissue (like chuck) are better for stew than lean cuts—the fat adds flavor and the connective tissue becomes gelatin, enriching the broth.

Using tender cuts like tenderloin or sirloin—they'll dry out during long cooking.

Skipping the browning step. This develops deep, savory flavor.

Cooking at too high a temperature. Stew meat needs gentle, moist heat to break down collagen and become tender.

Cutting pieces too small, which causes them to fall apart or become stringy.