Beef Stew

We had like two days that felt like fall otherwise it is still summer over here. We are still wearing our summer clothes which is a good thing because Leo will wear out all his summer clothes. He grows so fast that I know he will not be able to fit in these clothes soon. Normally I would have made so many soups and stews by now but find we still need refreshing food to counter the heat. On days like today I just say whatever and make a stew.

Growing up we had a stew that we ate at home all the time. The meat is boiled then browned and tomatoes and onions are added. Most people then use a thickener like Royco or Maggi, my mom gets sick from it so we never used them. I first made a beef stew without boiling the meat first when I was in high school and it became my favourite way to do it. I can add as many vegetables as I like and make it into a one pot meal. Just cut some bread and dip in the sauce.

I love all the big chunks of vegetables and the meat is so tender. I used potatoes and carrots because it is what I had at home but you can add kale, mushrooms or peas.

It takes time to cook but it is so worth it. I made for six and was able to freeze what we did not eat which will save me time on another day.

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Beef Stew

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Servings 6

Author Princess Tafadzwa

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chuck steak cut into 1-inch cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 chopped tomato
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 20 baby carrots
• 3 medium potatoes cubed

Instructions

1. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the flour and toss to coat the beef.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy stockpot over medium-high heat until good and hot. Add the beef cubes and brown on all sides.
3. Add the onions to the pot, adding a little more oil if necessary. Cook until soft and translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes along with the beef broth, spices and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
4. Add the vegetables, return to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for another hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Remove the bay leaves before serving.