The Common Pantry Staple To Fix Watery Beef Stew

Beef stew is a rich and hearty, perennial family favorite that's pretty easy to prepare — although it can take all day to cook. So, what do you do when you've been waiting patiently — the meat is nice and tender, and everything's tasting just right — but your beef stew is still a bit watery? You could thicken it with a cornstarch slurry or make a roux with flour. But that just seems so last century — staid and overly complicated. To fix your watery beef stew, think inside the box, as it were: Add potato flakes.

Yep, you can thicken beef stew without cornstarch or flour. Potato flakes, or instant mashed potatoes, are the only addition you need to go from thin, beef-flavored liquid to dense, robust stew — right on the precipice of gravy if you'd like. With instant mashed potatoes, you don't have to make a slurry or premix the flakes with anything. Just shake some from the package — about a tablespoon at a time — and mix with the stew broth until thickened to your desired consistency.

The starch in the potato flakes acts as a natural thickening agent, absorbing the liquid and integrating seamlessly with the stock. And if you're using plain instant potatoes, the only flavor they'll add is, well, potato. So, skip the extra steps, and thicken your beef stew with instant mashed potatoes — it can even wait until the very last minute.

Don't have potato flakes, but you're looking for another gluten-free option to thicken your stew? You can simply add extra potatoes, then mash and mix them into the broth a few minutes before the stew is completely done. Similarly, you can remove a cup or two of stew (including all veggies but not the beef), puree it in a blender, and then return your mix to the cooking vessel. The starches will work their magic, incorporating with the stock for a more concentrated, creamier consistency. Cooked, pureed cauliflower also works nicely and won't add much flavor, but start sparingly just to be sure it doesn't put your stew out of balance.

If you find that you're consistently coming up a little short on flavor, try a one-ingredient upgrade for a better beef stew. Cinnamon is an unexpected warm spice that adds a whole new dimension, giving your stock an almost sweet, earthy flavor and mildly spiced aroma. Add V8 juice to your beef stew for extra umami straight out of the can, or make it a beef and Guinness stew. The Irish stout cooks down beautifully for a dark, rich stew with deep, caramelized flavor. From potato flakes to creamy bottled beer, an extra ingredient or two will ensure your beef stew is just as thick and flavorful as you'd like it to be.