5/23/11

Simple Beef Stew




My older daughter recently began making home cooked meals and asked me for a recipe for a "Beef Stew". She complained that the recipe was "much too complicated" for her, so I had to quickly write up a new recipe for a beginner. This is the simplest beef stew recipe I could come up with. The steps are easier than my original stew and not at all complicated. You really can't go wrong with the flavors as long as you taste as you go along. The vegetables that you use are totally versatile and you can add in a variety of other ingredients to increase the depth of flavors such as; a little red wine into the broth mix, some bay leaves or more fresh herbs, even some parm cheese stirred in at the end or sprinkled on top! 
This is enough for about 4 people, I pretty much triple this to serve to my 6 and have left overs for the hubby's lunch for the week.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. stew beef, cubed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp each of; salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, and parsley
3 cans Beef Broth
3 cups water
4 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced in 1-1/2 inch cubes
1 package frozen carrots
1 packages frozen green beans or peas
1 small onion, finely diced
½ can tomato paste, or 1 cup crushed tomatoes (optional)
2 Tablespoons Worshishire sauce

Directions:
Fill a large stock pot or heavy bottomed cast iron pot with the three cans of beef broth and three cans of water. Bring to a boil.

Cut your beef into 1-inch cubes. In a small bowl add flour, salt and pepper. Mix with a fork. Toss your beef cubes in the flour mix until fully coated, shake off the excess flour.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on low/medium heat. Sauté beef cubes until browned on all sides, making sure not to crowd the meat into the pan.

Meanwhile, to the pot of broth, add the tomato paste or crushed tomatoes, the vegetables, potatoes and Worshishire sauce to the boiling broth. Add in the browned meat, sprinkle in the spices and stir to combine well.

Lower heat to medium/low and let simmer for about 1 ½ -2 hours.
Stir occasionally, checking the vegetables for doneness and add in more salt to your taste.