Beef stew is a dish that I make two or three times a year at most, and all of those are in the cooler months. I can’t imagine eating a bowl of something this hearty and warm on a warm spring day, never mind a hot summer evening. Regardless, when I do make it, I tend to think of my mother’s version. She almost always made hers on the stovetop and cooked the potatoes separately. When I first tried this crockpot version, I added potatoes and crossed my fingers, hoping for non-mushy potatoes. The exciting result was that the potatoes were cooked through but firm.
I haven’t always added potatoes; I like to add extra veggies. Of course, all of the other diners in my house prefer to the heartiness of potatoes, so the compromise I’ve reached is to add potatoes and extra veggies. This recipes calls for the regular amount of veggies. Feel free to add more if you like!
The next time is a spell of cold weather or a blizzard is forecast, make sure you have these ingredients on hand. This stew is sure to warm up the coldest or snowiest of days. For a really simple beef stew recipe, give this version a try.
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- 1/4 cup flour
- salt & pepper
- 1 can beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 large carrots, peeled & chopped
- 2 potatoes, peeled & chopped*
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet
- Trim excess fat from beef.
- Place beef in crockpot and sprinkle with flour, salt, & pepper. Toss well.
- Add broth, Worcestershire, garlic, bay leaf, carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery. Stir well.
- Cover with lid, place on low, and cook for 9 hours.
- At the 9 hour point, add peas and Kitchen Bouquet. Stir and recover.
- Cook for one more hour.
- Stir, serve, and enjoy.
- *You can use white or sweet potatoes for this recipe.
