Beef Stew - Vegetarian or Meat Options
Beef stew is a staple in our home especially as the weather cools. Stews and soups have been a staple in households for generations for a variety of reasons. They can be healing when someone is feeling unwell and can be hearty and thick to provide a hot nourishing meal in cold weather. Stews were often made from the leftovers of a big meal at the beginning of the week along with garden vegetables from the pantry to make the scraps go farther in times when money or food were more scarce. For us this recipe is one handed down over generations and modified by taste or available ingredients. We enjoy this freshly made with rolls or biscuits or freeze dried and packaged for long term food options.
Equipment
- 1 knife and cutting board
- 1 set measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Large Pot with cover
- 1 large spoon
Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 lb stew meat or vegetarian meat substitute cut into small cubes about 1 inch square *You can use whatever meat you have left over or purchase stew beef or even venison
- 4 cups broth - vegetable or beef broth depending on your tastes
- 4 cups diced potatoes
- 2 cups sliced carrots
- 1 cup peas *optional
- ¼ cup diced celery or ½ tsp celery powder
- 2 tsp crushed garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Add oil to the bottom of your pot over medium heat and add chopped onions
- Stir onions frequently until they become transparent then add chopped meat or meat substitute and stir mixture to sear the outside of the cube. This will seal in the juices for a more tender result
- Slowly pour the vegetable broth into the pan and stir
- Add in potatoes, carrots, peas, celery or celery powder, crushed garlic, salt and pepper.
- Stir well and cover bringing mixture to a simmer and simmer over low heat for 1 hour or until vegetables have softened to desired texture.
Notes
Using this same recipe you can substitute turkey or chicken (or their vegetarian options). You can turn this into a dumpling meal by taking the cooked stew and putting it into an oven safe bowl or pot, adding drop biscuits to cover the top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes, removing the cover for the last 5 to 10 minutes if you want the dumplings browned on top.