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Elizabeth Taylor's Beef Stew: A Recipe and a Hollywood Story

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2026/01/07 .. -s-beef-stew-a-recipe-and-a-hollywood-story.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Wednesday, January 7th 2026 at 15:55 GMT by Today
      Locale: California, UNITED STATES

Elizabeth Taylor's Legendary Beef Stew: A Recipe for Romance, Comfort, and a Hollywood Legacy

For decades, Elizabeth Taylor wasn’t just a film icon; she was a culinary one, too. While famous for her violet eyes, tumultuous love life, and dazzling jewelry, Taylor was also known for her incredible home cooking. And one dish, in particular, cemented her status as a domestic goddess: her beef stew. Recently resurfaced and shared widely, the recipe for “Elizabeth Taylor’s Favorite Beef Stew” isn't just a comforting classic – it’s a window into the glamorous, yet grounded, life of a Hollywood legend. This article summarizes the recipe and the story behind it, exploring its origins, ingredients, technique, and enduring appeal.

The story, as detailed on Today.com and originating from a 1983 McCall’s magazine feature, paints a picture of Taylor as a surprisingly hands-on cook, despite her celebrity. The recipe was shared by Taylor herself, as part of a broader profile detailing her life at the time, focused on her then-recent marriage to John Warner (later a US Senator). She apparently found immense joy in cooking for loved ones, and this beef stew was a frequent request from her family and guests. It wasn’t a fussy, overly-refined dish, but rather a hearty, flavorful stew meant to be shared and enjoyed. Taylor described it as "a really good, down-to-earth stew," reflecting a desire for normalcy amidst her extraordinary life.

The recipe itself is a testament to classic, slow-cooked comfort food. It's not a quick weeknight meal, emphasizing patience and layering of flavors. The star, of course, is the beef – 3 pounds of chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes. What sets this stew apart isn’t necessarily unique ingredients, but the way they're combined and the attention to detail.

The process begins with browning the beef in batches, a crucial step for developing rich, savory notes. This isn't a skimpy searing – Taylor's recipe calls for a generous amount of oil and ensuring each piece is truly browned on all sides. Next comes the aromatic foundation: onions, garlic, and a key ingredient – a generous tablespoon of paprika. While paprika might seem commonplace now, its inclusion in the 1980s, and Taylor's emphasis on it, highlights a growing interest in utilizing spices for depth of flavor, moving away from the more bland, heavily salted cooking styles of previous generations.

Following the initial browning, a surprising addition is a splash of dry sherry. This isn't just for flavor; Taylor explains it tenderizes the meat. The stew then includes classic vegetable companions: carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes (both crushed and paste). The liquid base is a combination of beef broth and red wine – a Cabernet Sauvignon is recommended for its richness. Bay leaves, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce round out the seasoning.

Crucially, the recipe insists on a long simmering time. Three hours is suggested, allowing the beef to become incredibly tender and the flavors to meld beautifully. Taylor herself states the longer it simmers, the better it tastes, suggesting it's often made a day ahead to allow the flavors to further develop. The final touch, just before serving, is a thickening with a beurre manié – a paste of equal parts butter and flour – which gives the stew a lovely, velvety texture.

The Today.com article also points to the broader context of Taylor’s relationship with food. She wasn’t simply a celebrity endorsing a recipe; she actively enjoyed the process of cooking and sharing meals. Her second husband, Richard Burton, was also known to enjoy good food, and their shared love of indulging is well documented. While known for a lavish lifestyle, Taylor seemed to value the grounding and nurturing aspects of home cooking.

The enduring appeal of this recipe isn’t just about nostalgia for a bygone era of Hollywood glamour. It's a reminder that even the most iconic figures enjoyed simple pleasures, and that a perfectly cooked, comforting meal can be a powerful expression of love and care. The fact that this recipe, originally published over 40 years ago, continues to resurface and be shared speaks to its timeless quality. It's a hearty, flavorful stew – but it's also a culinary piece of Elizabeth Taylor’s remarkable story, a taste of her warmth, and a legacy that extends far beyond the silver screen.