A bowl of beef stew is perhaps the ultimate comfort food. It is thick and rich, with fork tender meat, buttery potatoes, and a beefy, red wine base that, if done well, can warm the cockles of even the coldest heart. However, preparing said stew is sadly less comforting a task than consuming it since there are several mistakes you can make when cooking beef stew. For many, the most fraught aspect is picking the wine that — along with beef broth or stock — forms its base.
There’s no need to feel lost, or worse, blindly buy a bottle for your dish; for advice on this matter, we turned to an expert on the art of making comfort food: Chef Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., chef and owner of the beloved Kansas City, Missouri, eatery Jasper’s Restaurant. In addition to running one of Kansas City’s most iconic Italian restaurants, chef Mirabile also hosts a weekly radio show called “Live From Jasper’s Kitchen,” which gives listeners an inside look into his culinary bonafides.
So, what wine does chef Mirabile suggest using in beef stew? A nice Chianti. According to him, “The Sangiovese grape is best because [of its] rich notes of cherry and plum along with earthy flavors.” This makes sense as Chianti is a classic Italian wine and, by his own admission, chef Mirabile is “very partial to Italian wines.” As he notes, a Chianti is known for its rich cherry flavor, making it a perfect addition to a savory dish such as stew.
The best kind of wines for stewing
If you’re not a fan of Chianti, or simply don’t have any on hand, you’re not out of luck. Chef Jasper J. Mirabile Jr. notes that “a Burgundy would be wonderful in a beef stew, along with a pinot noir.” Similar to Chianti, Burgundy can have notes of cherry and an earthy taste that pairs well with the richness of beef. Pinot noir is medium bodied, tart, and acidic, which can help to break down your beef as it cooks, making it perfectly tender and delicious.
Drawing from his own experience in Italy, chef Mirabile says, “I have enjoyed a wonderful beef stew prepared with the Sicilian Nero d’Avola, especially from my [family’s] area in the Belize Valley or near Mt. Etna.” You may not have heard of Nero d’Avola, as it has only recently gained some popularity state-side. However, it is a very culturally important wine within Sicily. It is a rich, dark wine that can have notes of fruits such as plums and cherries.
Wines to avoid
There are a few wines that chef Jasper J. Mirabile Jr. advises against using in beef stew. “Avoid usinganything that has been aged in oak because it may just take over the beef dish itself,” he says. Some red wines, such as syrah and merlot, are often aged in oak. This aging process can change the taste of wine, making it more complex. But, as chef Mirabile noted, this can cause your wine’s flavor to become too dominant, therefore overshadowing the beef that should be the star of the show. Chef Mirabile also advises against use of “…highly tannic wine or a light bodied wine.”
It’s practically a given that red wine should be used in a beef stew since red wine is most often the default pairing with red meat. However, this doesn’t mean that just any red wine can do. Lighter red wines may be too delicate to hold up in a hearty bowl of stew. Instead, you want something that has a dark, cherry, earthy edge to it that can cut through the fatty, rich beef. The guidance against using tannic wines may seem counterintuitive since several of the wines suggested by chef Mirabile, such as Chianti, are often high in tannins. However, its rich, sour flavor can hold up against its tannin content, unlike a lighter bodied wine. That’s the scoop on the best wine for beef stew, all that’s left to see is which wine you prefer.
