Viral Beef and Noodles

Ingredients

• 12 oz wide egg noodles
• 2 lb beef chuck roast (cut into 2-inch pieces)
• fine sea salt (to taste)
• freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for coating beef)
• 3 tbsp avocado oil (divided; use more if needed for sautéing)
• 0.5 yellow onion (large, finely diced)
• 6 garlic (6-7 cloves, pressed)
• 8 cup water (divided (6 cups for simmering, 2 cups for noodles))
• 2 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf (large)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch (for slurry)
• 2 tbsp cold water (for slurry)

Steps

1. 1

   Season the 2-inch beef chuck roast pieces generously with fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then coat them evenly in the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

2. 2

   Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat with a portion of the avocado oil. Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, ensuring a good crust forms on all sides. Transfer the browned beef to a clean plate as you finish each batch.

3. 3

   Add the remaining avocado oil to the stockpot if the pan is dry. Add the finely diced yellow onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until softened and translucent.

4. 4

   Stir in the pressed garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

5. 5

   Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, the bay leaf, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, and 6 cups of water. Stir to combine.

6. 6

   Bring the mixture to a low simmer, then stir in the 2 tablespoons of Better Than Bouillon Beef base.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and cook for approximately 2.5 hours, or until the beef is tender enough to shred easily with a fork.

8. 8

   Carefully transfer the cooked beef to a clean plate and shred it into bite-sized pieces using two forks. Discard the bay leaf and the thyme sprigs from the liquid.

9. 9

   Add the remaining 2 cups of water (or beef stock if preferred) to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat.

10. 10

    Add the 12 ounces of wide egg noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are al dente according to package directions.

11. 11

    In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a smooth slurry. Gradually stir the slurry into the boiling pot to thicken the gravy to your desired consistency.

12. 12

    Remove the pan from the heat and stir the shredded beef back into the noodles and gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed before serving.

Notes

The author notes that this is a great stovetop recipe because the beef flavors the stock throughout the long simmer, creating a superior gravy. You can adjust the amount of cornstarch slurry depending on how thick you prefer your sauce.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• beef
• comfort food
• dinner
• one-pot
• stovetop
• slow-cooked