Red, White, and Beef Stew
Eisenhower's famous beef stew is a piece of history
I always say that the dinner table is one of the places I feel happiest, and it’s also a safe place where we can come together and enjoy something in common. This topic is one I discuss in my brand-new three-part MasterClass series, and something that’s important to remember every day, but especially during holidays.
So here we are, people, on the eve of America’s Independence Day, and I want to share with you a recipe that you might consider using for your celebrations! Our 34th president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, had a deep passion for cooking—a love he learned from his mother. He enjoyed entertaining as well, and his epic state dinners often featured comfort food that brought people together.
One of President Eisenhower’s favorite recipes was his beef stew, and it was so widely loved that it became a part of his reelection campaign in 1956. Supporters across the country would host Eisenhower beef stew suppers every Thursday night until his victory. This recipe was so popular that it was published by the New York Times—an article that instructed housewives to scale it down, because it was meant for 60 people!
This recipe is The Bazaar DC’s take on Eisenhower’s beef stew. In my MasterClass episode, chef Claudio Foschi from my team makes the dish, and we enjoy it with former White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses, and historian Alex Prud’homme (in this episode, you’ll also see Bill’s amazing huckleberry pie…don’t you want to learn pie-making from the Crustmaster himself???).
There aren’t many ingredients, but quality is important—we use Wagyu beef cheeks, but you could also use filet or ribeye. You will want to have a little patience as you are making this, because time is the only ingredient that will make sure that the beef is very tender. If you can make your stock from scratch, it will reward you—homemade stock with roasted bones and their marrow adds incredible depth to the recipe, but bone broth will work nicely as well. And don’t forget the bouquet garni (I’m sorry to speak in French in front of you!)—a bunch of fresh herbs tied together with kitchen string—because it will add a delicate herbal layer to the stew.
I hope you enjoy cooking this as much as we do! It is a perfect project for the holiday, maybe while sipping a glass of wine? In the episode, we drank a beautiful red wine from Linden in Virginia—so yes, I would probably recommend an American wine for July 4th, but if you insist I would also drink something Spanish!
Eisenhower Beef Stew
Serves 4