Almond Free Beef and Onion Stew with Pomegranate Braise
Rich, slow-braised beef in a pomegranate and bone broth sauce sounds like something you'd order at a restaurant, but this one comes together in a single Dutch oven with pantry-friendly ingredients. The magic here is in the layering — deeply caramelized onions, a hit of apple cider vinegar, warm spices like turmeric and Ceylon cinnamon, and that gorgeous pomegranate juice that turns the braise into something almost jammy and complex. Searing the beef in two batches builds a serious crust, and then a long, low simmer does the rest, breaking down the chuck roast until it's fall-apart tender. An arrowroot slurry thickens the braising liquid into a glossy, spoon-coating sauce without any flour or grain-based thickeners. Every ingredient here is straightforward and whole — no nut-based sauces, no almond flour, no hidden additives to second-guess at the store. It's the kind of deeply satisfying cold-weather stew that tastes like it took all day, even if your hands-on time is surprisingly minimal. Finish it with a scatter of fresh parsley and serve it straight from the pot.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, divided
- 3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups bone broth
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 2 tbsp cold water
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season all over with the sea salt.
- 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the beef in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms and the pieces release easily from the pot. Transfer the seared beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining batch.
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