I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big "stew" person. Yeah, I've had a few decent stews here and there, but it's not a dish I have ever craved. Even in the dead of a northern Indiana winter with the snow blowing and my slippers married to my feet, a stew is not the first recipe on my list of things to eat.
Then James and I made beef stew last night, and I'm not kidding you, I've turned into a stew fan. Maybe my mom just didn't season it right or build the flavors with browned meat and toasted tomato paste. I think a lot of people, my mom included, just poured all the ingredients in a pot and put it to the heat for a few hours. Goodbye bland, old mush. Hello hearty beef stew full of great flavor, we meet at last.
Beef Stew
1 Tablespoon oil
2-3 lbs chuck roast
1 large onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
3 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
11/4 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups beef stock
2 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in a large dutch oven. Cut chuck roast up into bite-sized pieces and place in dutch oven, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from pot and place in a bowl.
2. Place onions in dutch oven and saute until tender. Add garlic and tomato paste, cooking another minute. Stir in arrowroot powder, then pour in chicken broth and beef stock, stirring to incorporate arrowroot powder. Add thyme and bay leaves. Return meat and any accumulated juices back to the pot.
3. Put lid on dutch oven and place in oven. Cook about 1 hour. Then carefully add carrots and celery. Place lid back on dutch oven and continue to bake in oven for another hour. Remove from oven, discard bay leaves. Pour in frozen peas, stir to heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.
Then James and I made beef stew last night, and I'm not kidding you, I've turned into a stew fan. Maybe my mom just didn't season it right or build the flavors with browned meat and toasted tomato paste. I think a lot of people, my mom included, just poured all the ingredients in a pot and put it to the heat for a few hours. Goodbye bland, old mush. Hello hearty beef stew full of great flavor, we meet at last.
Beef Stew
1 Tablespoon oil
2-3 lbs chuck roast
1 large onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
3 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
11/4 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups beef stock
2 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in a large dutch oven. Cut chuck roast up into bite-sized pieces and place in dutch oven, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from pot and place in a bowl.
2. Place onions in dutch oven and saute until tender. Add garlic and tomato paste, cooking another minute. Stir in arrowroot powder, then pour in chicken broth and beef stock, stirring to incorporate arrowroot powder. Add thyme and bay leaves. Return meat and any accumulated juices back to the pot.
3. Put lid on dutch oven and place in oven. Cook about 1 hour. Then carefully add carrots and celery. Place lid back on dutch oven and continue to bake in oven for another hour. Remove from oven, discard bay leaves. Pour in frozen peas, stir to heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.