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Warm Up This Winter with Classic Beef Stew

By Sara Fougere
fougere

Photos by L.G. Patterson

fougere

I dread winter as it’s coming along. The dark. The slush. The constant, “Where’s my coat?” But then you get one of those beautiful winter mornings where everything looks new and sparkly and I think about my dad, coming in frosty from feeding cattle. My mom would be at the stove over an enormous pot of stew. “That’ll warm my bones,” he always said. He was so right. Nothing takes the chill off a day like a hearty bowl of stew and a piece of cornbread or a hot biscuit. I’ve worked off of my mom’s recipe for years and it’s still so good; potatoes, celery and carrots braised soft with broth and chunks of beef. Once everything is in the pot, it really takes care of itself until you serve it to delighted family or guests. Wishing you a wonderful winter.

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds lean beef chuck-trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes OR round steak OR Stew Meat
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flous
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups roughly chopped celery
  • 4 cups sliced carrots
  • 4 russet potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup red wine (or water)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 can green beans
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cold water

Instructions
 

  • Coat beef with flour, shaking off excess. In a large nonstick stock pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, add beef and sauté until brown, approximately six minutes. Remove beef from stock pot and set aside.
  • Add onions, celery, potatoes and carrots to the stock pot and sauté for six minutes. Then add garlic and sauté for one minute, continually stirring.
  • Return cooked beef to the pot; stir in the tomato paste, broth and bay leaves. Add enough water and red wine (if you want)to just cover the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the beef is tender, about one hour and 15 minutes.
  • Add green beans and peas. Cover partially and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • In a small mixing bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water. Stir mixture into stew. Increase heat and boil uncovered for one minute until thick.

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