Who Doesn't LOVE Beef Stew!

Who Doesn’t LOVE Beef Stew!

One of my favorite presents from Christmas is a cast iron dutch oven. I really like making one-pot meals likes soups and stews, but it’s really annoying when you have a bunch of pots and pans to clean after making what should be a very simple meal! The dutch oven completely fixes this issue. You can cook on the stove and then move the pot right into the oven without switching to a different pot or pan. Is it just me or do you find that the older methods of cooking make way better food than all these crazy gadgets that are on infomercials today?

But I digress… Recently I made, honestly, the best beef stew I have had in a really long time, if ever. I think part of the reason was my dutch oven and the other part was the end recipe which was a mixture of recipes I found online and a few substitutions I used because of a lack of the right ingredients in my house!

Beef stew isn’t the prettiest of meals and terrible for photographing, but it sure is delicious!

My Version of Beef Stew

ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp creole seasoning
1-1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups beef broth
1 can tomato soup (replacement for stewed tomatoes in the original recipe)
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

directions

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1/2 cup flour and 1 tablespoon of creole seasoning. Take 2 tablespoons out of the mixture and set aside for later. Add beef to the plastic bag and shake to coat.

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown beef in oil in batches. Remove and set aside. Add onion to the pan and cook until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in remaining flour and creole seasoning until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Add the beef, tomato soup and thyme. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and bake 1 hour longer or until meat and vegetables are tender. Stir in peas; cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings.