Beef Stew

I had lots of veggies left over from last week and decided I wanted to make stew.  I actually bought the store packaged stew meat (which I never do!).  I would normally chop it up myself, but I was super lazy and just didn't feel like being hassled with it.  So the only thing I bought for this dish was the stew meat and I paid over $10 for just over 2 lbs.  I had left over carrots ($1), Celery ($0.49), and potatoes ($1) from my last shopping trip before Thanksgiving.  So if I would have actually bought something like a chuck roast it would have cost me half the price.  In the end it is still a super affordable dish which is hearty and comforting. 

Beef Stew
2 lbs beef stew meat
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 cups water
2 TBS worschestire sauce
salt and pepper
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 lb carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can of corn, drained
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
1 tsp sugar
dash of allspice
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1. Season meat with salt and pepper while you heat vegetable oil in a large stock pot and then brown meat in oil.  Do not crowd, brown in separate batches if necessary.
2. Add water, worschestire sauce, garlic, stewed tomatoes, allspice, salt, pepper, paprika, bay leaves, sugar, and onion to stock pot with meat.  Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook for approximately 1-1/2 hours.
3. Add celery and carrots and continue to cook for another hour.
4. Add potatoes and cook until done (approximately 30 minutes).  Add the corn right before serving. 

The great thing about stew is you can add whatever veggies you like and omit what you don't.  Add green beans, peas, squash, or whatever else you like or have on hand.  This is a comforting dish that I grew up with and has been passed down from generation to generation.  It is super simple, but brings so much flavor.  Just serve with warm buttered rolls and you have a complete meal.

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