Mulligan Stew

A bowl of Mulligan beef stew, filled with chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes, green beans, peas, corn, and mushrooms in a rich broth, garnished with fresh herbs.

This hearty Mulligan Stew, also known as Hobo Stew, is a classic one-pot beef-and-vegetable soup featuring tender beef, potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, and a rich, savory beef broth. It’s a rustic, old-fashioned American comfort food dinner.

Course Soup, stew

Cuisine American

Keyword hobo stew, mulligan stew

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1 50

Total Time 2 15

Servings

Calories 232kcal

Author Julia

Equipment

Large Dutch oven

Ingredients

2 pounds stew beef cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion diced
3 stalks celery diced
3 cloves garlic minced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup dry red wine
6 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 large bay leaf
3 medium carrots sliced
3 medium russet potatoes peeled and cubed
1 cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup corn kernels

For finishing

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Season with salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, 6–8 minutes per batch, until well-seared. Remove the beef to a plate and set aside.
In the same pot, add the onion and celery. Sauté 4–5 minutes, until softened.
Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Add the mushrooms and cook until they release moisture and begin to brown, 5–6 minutes.
Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in tomato paste and smoked paprika.
Pour in the red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the wine simmer for 1 minute to reduce slightly.
Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Return the browned beef to the pot.
Tie the thyme, rosemary, parsley, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine or wrap in cheesecloth to create a bouquet garni. Add this to the pot.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.
Add the carrots and potatoes. Simmer uncovered for 30–35 minutes until the vegetables and beef are tender and stew begins to naturally thicken.
Stir in green beans, peas, and corn. Simmer another 5–10 minutes, until the quick-cooking vegetables are cooked through.
Remove the bouquet garni. If the stew is too thick, add a splash of broth or water. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce if a richer flavor is desired.
Garnish with fresh chopped herbs and serve.

Notes

Don't skip patting the beef dry. Moisture on the surface of the beef prevents browning. Paper towels, a few seconds, and you get a proper sear. It's the single most important step in this recipe, and the one most people skip.
Work in batches and resist the urge to stir. Give the beef 3 to 4 minutes undisturbed on each side before flipping. If the meat sticks, it's not ready to release yet. Moving it too early means you lose the crust you're building.
Simmer, don't boil. Once the broth and beef are in, the heat should be low enough that you see occasional gentle bubbles, not a rolling boil. Boiling toughens the beef fibers and breaks down the vegetables too fast. Patience here is what gets you fork-tender beef.
Use a proper Dutch oven. A heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid distributes heat evenly and maintains a steady temperature during the long simmer. A thin pot with poor heat distribution will give you hot spots, scorched bottoms, and uneven cooking. If you don't have a Dutch oven, a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid is the next best option.

Serving Suggestions

Bread: Mulligan stew is absolutely a meal in a bowl, so I recommend serving it hot with crusty bread, my savory bacon cheddar scones, dinner rolls, or garlic bread for soaking up the broth.
Starches: If I want the stew to go further, I spoon it over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or even plain rice, especially for leftovers.

How to Make Mulligan Stew in a Slow Cooker (Crockpot)

On the stovetop, brown the beef first for better flavor, then sauté the onion, celery, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir in the flour, tomato paste, and smoked paprika, then deglaze with the wine.
Transfer everything to the slow cooker with the broth, Worcestershire, beef, herb bundle, carrots, and potatoes.
Cook on Low for 7–8 hours or High for 4–5 hours. Add green beans, peas, and corn in the last 20–30 minutes.

How to Make Mulligan Stew in an Instant Pot

Use Sauté to brown the beef, then cook the onion, celery, garlic, and mushrooms.
Stir in flour, tomato paste, and smoked paprika, then deglaze with wine, scraping up any browned bits.
Add broth, Worcestershire, beef, herb bundle, carrots, and potatoes.
Cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes, then Natural Release for 10–15 minutes before Quick Release.
Switch back to Sauté, add green beans, peas, and corn, and simmer briefly.

Storage, Reheating, Freezing, and Make-Ahead

Storage: Let the stew cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot. Add a splash of broth or water if it has thickened too much. You can also microwave individual portions in short intervals, stirring between each one.
Freezing: Freeze cooled stew in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. I like to leave a little room at the top because soups and stews expand as they freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Make ahead: You can make the full stew 1 day ahead and reheat it before serving.

Nutrition