Beef Stew Recipe by Michelin Chef & Winner of Master Chef Jr. - Nathan Odom

In 2015 Nathan Odom won Master Chef Jr. Season 3 at age 13. Now at 22, he has been the chef at 3 Michelin Star restaurant in Japan. He recently turned to Reddit for an Ask Me Anything Session, and ended up sharing the recipe for one of his favorite comfort foods - beef stew:

Nathan Odom's Favorite Beef Mushroom Stew: Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Beef Stew Meat

3 tbsp. Flour

3 tbsp. Butter

4 Yukon Potatoes, chopped

2 Carrots, chopped

2 Leeks, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

2 Yellow Onions, diced

½ cup Soy Sauce

1 cup Water

1 10.5oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1-2 pints Mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp. Lemon Juice

Slice stew meat into bite-sized cubes, place in a large freezer bag and coat with flour, salt, and pepper.

In a large dutch oven (or slow cooker or oven-proof soup pot), melt the butter at medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides. Add vegetables and mushrooms and sautee briefly until browned and flavorful. 

Add the water, soy sauce, and simmer with the lid covered on low heat for 1 hour, adding a few tablespoons more water if necessary to prevent burning. 

 Finally, pour in the cream of mushroom soup and lemon juice, and simmer for 15-20 more minutes. 

Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! Note that the stew tastes even better as leftovers.

Nathan shared that this recipe comes from his great grandmother. If it's the favorite of a Michelin star restaurant chef, it's probably worth trying. If you do, let me know in the comments how it turned out!