Beef Stew Stove Top {Picadinho With Beef Cubes}

This Brazilian recipe for Beef Stew made on the stove top means that it's full of flavor and easy to pull together! Beef sirloin cubes are seared and then onion, green pepper, tomatoes, and garlic bring hearty texture and flavors. Then traditional Brazilian herbs and seasonings, including fresh cilantro, coriander, and mustard powder are added. After it all cooks together you have a delicious beef stew with thick gravy, tender beef and hearty veggies.

Check out this video for an easy tutorital!

Serve this easy beef stew over Brazilian Rice to soak up all of that delicious gravy.

One of the most common ingredient combinations in Brazilian savory cooking is onion, garlic, and cilantro. It's the start for so many traditional dishes, including Feijoada: Rice and Beans Brazilian Style with Meat. I've made many beef stew recipes in my days and it's this combo with cilantro that makes all the difference in this Picadinho classic beef stew recipe. Now, if you happen to be someone that doesn't like cilantro, please (obrigada) try cilantro cooked down into a stew and you will surely change your mind about it.

Ingredients and Swaps

Beef

• Beef Sirloin Cubes - The key for this recipe is to use a cut of beef that does not take hours to break down and get tender. If you buy cubed beef labeled Beef Stew Meat, it is most likely beef chuck and takes hours to tenderize. Sirloin or tenderloin or petite loin are all great cuts for this faster cooking method. You can typically find these cubed in the meat section or just ask your butcher. Otherwise, you can buy a 2" thick sirloin steaks and cut it into cubes yourself.
• All purpose Flour - flour is the thickener for the stew. An alternative way to thicken the stew, which also supports a Gluten Free version of this recipe, is to use a cornstarch slurry. Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into ½ cup cold water. Then add it to the stew along with the broth.
• Salt - I use kosher salt for savory cooking, but any course salt or table salt will be fine. Seasoning the the beef before searing it is important for bringing out the most flavor.
• Ground black pepper - I used freshly ground black pepper, but pre-ground is perfectly fine.
• Olive Oil - Extra Virgin Olive Oil is my go-to for searing beef. However, you can substitute in vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or other neutral oil that you have.

All other Ingredients

• Green bell pepper - Green pepper is a common ingredient in Brazilian stews, but you can substitute any bell peppers, such as red bell pepper. Other mild peppers, such as poblanos would also work. Or hot peppers, such as jalapeno or red chilis.
• Yellow onion - I used yellow onion, but you can use white onion, red onion, shallots, or even scallions.
• Garlic cloves - Fresh is best when it comes to garlic. You can buy pre-minced garlic to save time or mince it in bulk and freeze it for use when you need it! You can also substitute in dried garlic flakes or garlic powder.
• Spice Mixture - I used my Brazilian Steak Seasoning Recipe blend, which includes all of these spices in the recipe:
• Paprika - Smoked or sweet will work. You can substitute in chili powder.
• Ground Mustard powder - If you don't have ground, you can use fresh mustard since this is all going into a stew. Dijon would be best. Another substitute is using ground or fresh ginger that's been minced, which can also give that tang and spice.
• Ground Coriander - You can substitute ground cumin.
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Fresh Thyme - You can substitute dry thyme, rosemary, or marjoram in this recipe.
• Bay leaves - I used whole leaves that I could remove later and discard. If you don't have then, you can substitute in a teaspoon of thyme or or oregano to give more depth.
• Diced Tomatoes, drained - I used San Marzano diced tomatoes. You can substitute in whole peeled tomatoes and then crushed them in my fingers before adding them. You can also use fresh tomatoes diced. Beefsteak, vine, or plum tomatoes will all work.
• Fresh Cilantro leaves - If you don't have fresh, you can use dried cilantro along with fresh parsley. You could also substitute fresh basil.
• Beef Broth - You can also use beef broth, vegetable broth/stock or chicken broth/stock.

Other flavor ingredients that you can add to this stew are a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste, and/or ½ cup of red wine to deglaze the pot after the beef is seared.

Simple Equipment and Tools

Making beef stew is not complicated, but the time that the old fashioned beef stew takes to cook can be a deterrent.

This version is a stove top beef stew that cooks faster in a large dutch oven. You can use any wide bottom pot.

Oh, and mincing garlic is made super easy with a Garlic Press.

Homemade Beef Stew Recipe Tips

Tip #1 - Never run out of onion! I always keep diced onion in my freezer ready to add to stews and other recipes.

Tip #2 - If you want to spice this recipe up a bit, you can add in jalapenos along with the green peppers.

Tip #3 - Put an egg on it! Yes, apparently Picadinho is often served with a runny fried egg on top. I have yet to see it served this way, but my husband insists this is how he has had it may restaurants in Brazil. I look forward to checking it out for myself!

How to Make this Beef Stew Recipe

Prep all of the veggies first, up to 3 days in advance and store them in the fridge. Deseed and cut the green pepper into slides. Peel and cut the onion into chunks or slices. Mince the garlic. Chop the Cilantro. Reserve some of the cilantro for garnish.

If the beef is not cut, cut it into 1-2 inch cubes.

Preheat the dutch oven over high heat. Mix in a large bowl, the flour, salt, and black pepper. Toss the beef cubes in the flour to coat every piece.

To the hot pot, add the olive oil and then the beef cubes in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd. You want to cook just a couple minutes and then flip. Continue to flip until all sides are browned, then transfer to a plate and continue adding and browning the remaining beef cubes and transferring all to a plate.

To the same dutch oven over medium high heat, add the onions, green pepper, garlic, seasonings, bay leaf, dice tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and beef broth.

After 20 minutes, add the beef cubes back and cook for the final 10 minutes.

Serve the stew over rice and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

What to Serve with Brazilian Beef Stew

You can of course it this straight from a bowl. However, I love to serve it over a bowl of Brazilian Rice {with Onions and Garlic}. It also tastes great with egg noodles. Quinoa or mashed potatoes would also be terrific.

Since this is has a good amount of veggies, you don't necessarily need a veggie side dish, but you could add a simple salad to round out the meal.

And for dessert, how about Brigadeiros! Brazilian Chocolate Dessert Truffles?

Stovetop Beef Stew Recipe FAQs

My stew is too thin, how can I thicken it?If your beef stew did not thicken enough from the floured beef, then perhaps you used more broth or the juices from the diced tomatoes. It's okay!! The simplest way to thicken it is to use a cornstarch slurry. Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into ½ cup cold water. Then add it to the stew along with the broth.

Can I make this beef stew in a slow cooker?You can make this Brazilian Beef Stew in a slow cooker, but then I recommend going with beef chuck, otherwise known as, beef stew meat. This cut can cook for many hours and get more tender the longer it cooks. Flour and sear the beef on the stove and then add it to the slow cooker. You can also add the flour-coated beef to the slow cooker without searing it. Follow the instructions, simply adding everything to the slow cooker at one time and then setting it on high for 8 or 10 hours, depending on your schedule.

Can I make this Beef stew ahead and reheat it?You can absolutely make this Brazilian Beef stew ahead! This dish reheats beautifully and is a great meal prep option for enjoying several days during the week! To reheat, you can place it in a microwave safe bowl and warm it for 1-2 minutes. Or you can place it back in a pot covered on the stove and warm it on medium heat. It will take about 10-15 minutes. Just be careful to not overcook the beef, as it can become tough.

Can I freeze this Brazilian Beef Stew?You can freeze this beef stew for up to 4 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then warm on the stove. Or place the frozen stew in the oven at 400 F degrees for 30-40 minutes until warm.

Can I add other vegetables to this stew?There are many different veggies that would be great in this stew. Diced carrots, celery, parsnips, or potatoes are all great long cooking veggies. Towards the end of the cooking you can add frozen peas, zucchini or yellow squash, sliced mushrooms, or kale.