Keto Beef Stew and Cheesy Biscuit Crust

This rich and hearty keto beef stew & cheesy biscuit crust is going to take your keto comfort food game to a whole ‘nother level!  Believe it.

During our recent vacation traveling around Europe, we spent a few days in London and had some of the best food of the entire trip there.  And that’s saying something because we at a LOT of delicious food in Europe!

Mr. Hungry’s favorite was the meat pies – and there were soooo many delicious options to choose from!  Beyond just your typical shepherd’s pie or cottage pie, there is steak and ale pie, steak and kidney pie, meat stews of all types that are wrapped or topped with puff pastry, biscuits, shortcrust pastry, etc.  You name it and they have got a meat + starch/crust option at pretty much every restaurant and market and it’s going to taste amazing.

Our hand’s down favorite was the “Deer Stalker,” a venison, dry cured bacon, red wine and green lentil pie with gravy and mashed potatoes that we had at Pieminister at the Borough Street Market.  It was straight up incredible (and not at all keto – but we didn’t eat keto on the trip and I have zero regrets or guilt about that.)

BTW if you’re ever in London and near the Borough Market…  GO THERE.  EAT EVERYTHING.  THE END.

Anyhoo, when we got home from our trip and back on keto, we dreamed of the meat pies and felt sad about it.  So I promised Mr. Hungry that I would make a keto beef stew / meat pie that was equally as rich, hearty, and comfort food-y as the ones we had in England.

1000% honesty?  This keto beef stew & cheesy biscuit crust is really good, and most importantly, totally guilt free and keto friendly….. buuuuuttt not as good as the carb-laden real thing.

I mean meat pies in London are just legendary and unmatched.  It’s a thing.  So I’m absolutely ok with coming in second best on this one.

Full disclosure, I forgot the egg in the batter for the biscuit crust, so they disintegrated a little more than they should have and the bottom half melted into the keto beef stew.  Still delicious, but less of the actual fluffy biscuit on top than I would have liked.

Not to worry, the egg is included in the recipe below – and as long as you don’t space out and forget it like I did, you’ll have a fluffy and tender cheddar and thyme biscuit crust on top that perfectly complements the beefy filling in this keto beef stew.

For the keto beef stew filling, I used radishes and celery to bulk it up without adding extra carbs – which made it sufficiently hearty, and you can barely tell it’s not potatoes that you’re eating!

I used a little whiskey for flavor, but you could substitute red wine or omit it altogether if you prefer – I do recommend trying it though if you have some one hand.  A little dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce also gives the gravy a nice depth and richness beyond your average keto beef stew.

With a long, cold winter on the horizon, I’m confident that you’re going to want to put this keto beef stew & cheesy biscuit crust into your regular rotation.  And if you’ve got a beef stew + cheesy biscuit loving tribe at home, you won’t be getting any complaints from them either!

As an added bonus, this low carb beef stew keeps well in the fridge all week and reheats just fine in the microwave – though reheating in the oven will help keep the biscuit top crispier if you’ve got the time.

Ingredients :

• 3 tablespoons avocado oil, or other light tasting oil
• 2 lbs stew beef, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 cup roughly chopped celery
• 2 cups radishes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (to thicken)
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon granulated erythritol sweetener
• 1 cup superfine blanched almond flour
• 3 tablespoons coconut flour
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions :

1. Combine the coconut flour, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl.
2. Add the raw beef pieces and mix well to coat the meat thoroughly.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan.
4. Add the beef and cook over medium high heat to brown, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.  Remove the meat from the pan.
5. Add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the garlic, onion, celery and radishes.
6. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
7. Add the Worcestershire sauce and whisky to the pan and cook an additional 2 minutes.
8. Add the cooked beef back to the pan, along with the water, dijon mustard, parsley, and thyme – then stir well.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour over low heat.
9. Remove the cover and whisk in the xanthan gum.
10. Turn the heat up to medium, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to reduce.
11. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
12. Place the butter in a medium-sized microwave safe bowl.
13. Microwave on high, uncovered, for 30 seconds or until melted.
14. Add the sweetener, almond flour, coconut flour, salt, garlic powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, egg, fresh thyme, almond milk and cheddar and mix well with a fork.
15. Transfer the beef stew to an oven safe casserole or cast iron pan.
16. Top with 8 scoops or balls of biscuit dough.
17. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes – or until the tops are golden brown and have puffed up slightly.
18. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.