The Juicy Ingredient That Can Give Your Beef Stew A Major Flavor Boost

Beef stew is the epitome of a classic comfort food. While the basic profile of this satisfying dish typically remains the same, home cooks have found ways to elevate and adjust the flavor by switching up the cut of beef, vegetables, seasoning, and broth used in the recipe. V8 juice is an ingredient that not everyone thinks of adding to the pot, but it is perfect for boosting the flavor of your beef stew. 

If you find your stew is a bit bland, it may benefit from the addition of some acidity, which is found in commonly used ingredients like vinegar, red wine, citrus juice, and tomatoes. Tomatoes, in particular, are perfect for adding mild acidity to your stew without turning it too sour. But instead of reaching for tomato paste or diced tomatoes, add some V8 juice to your stew. Original V8 juice — a popular vegetable juice brand with the best ingredients – contains tomato paste and seven vegetables: carrots, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, and spinach. The juice adds mild acidity and savory vegetable flavor, bringing depth to your dish in a way that tomato paste alone does not. 

There are a couple of different ways to use V8 juice in your beef stew recipe. Bland stew can result from a common mistake made when making beef stew, such as using only water as a base. Instead, upgrade the flavor using V8 juice (around 6 cups for a pot serving 6 to 8), a couple of cups of water, and beef bouillon cubes to form your broth.

Perhaps you have a beloved beef stew recipe but want to change or slightly enhance the flavor. In this case, add around 8 ounces of V8 juice to the pot for the last several minutes of cooking. The juice is thick enough that it shouldn't water down the stew, but if you accidentally add too much or find it too runny, there is one way to thicken beef stew without adding extra ingredients.

Be mindful of how much salt you add to your V8 beef stew since the vegetable juice contains a decent amount of sodium. If you prefer to salt your stew to your liking, you might opt for the low-sodium version of V8. Those who enjoy beef stew with a kick may want to try the V8 spicy hot or a blend of the spicy and original formulas.