You want to cook beef stew meat on both the stovetop, then transfer it to the oven. You start by browning it on the stovetop to add flavor. Once the liquid is added and you bring that mixture to a simmer, the beef stew meat is covered and transferred to the oven where it can braise into an incredibly tender beef stew. By cooking it in the oven, you can have the best flavor and the most tender results with a low and slow approach to cooking beef stew.