Beef Stew

Serves: 4

Heat oven to 275° F

Ingredients:

Flour dredge

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

Dash ground allspice

Dash ground clove

2 pounds beef chuck steak, cut in 1 inch cubes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, cut in chunks

4 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 ½ cups chopped in bite-size pieces carrots\

4 ribs celery, chopped in bite size pieces

Cook’s Note: Celery leaves add extra flavor

2 cups of peeled (or not as you prefer) chopped in bite-size pieces red, gold, or white potatoes

1/8 teaspoon salt

Alternative vegetables

Cauliflower – Add with (1 cup chopped and reduce potatoes to 1 cup) or substitute (2 cups) for potatoes

Parsnip – add with ( ½ cup peeled and chopped and reduce carrots to 1 cup) or substitute (1 ½) for carrots

Chopped Mushrooms – (1 cup) and sauté with onions

Green, Red, Orange or Yellow Peppers – (½ cup, sliced in ½ inch pieces) Add 10 minutes before serving.

Fresh Peas – 1 cup (boiled 2-3 minutes or steamed 1-2 minutes). Add hot, cooked peas just before serving.

Flavor additives – add only one

1 teaspoon horseradish

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

¼ cup tomato paste

Directions:

Create flour dredge by placing flour, pepper, paprika, allspice and clove in a bowl. Mix well.

Add beef a few pieces at a time and coat thoroughly to dredge.

Heat a large cast iron skillet or frying pan on stove. When hot, add oil. When oil shimmers, add meat.

Brown meat on all sides. Remove cooked meat to side bowl.

Scrape browned spiced flour off the bottom of the pan with a spatula and add to bowl.

Melt butter in frying pan. Add onions and sauté until translucent.

Add any remaining flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour lightly browns.

Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic and bay leaves to pan. Stir.

Add broth slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumping.

Add meat bowl contents to frying pan.

Cover and bake at 275° F for 1 ½ hours. The stew can be cooked on low on top of the stove if it is monitored and stirred frequently.

Remove bay leaves.

Add carrots, potato and celery.

Cover and bake 30 to 40 minutes.

Add salt. Stir.

Serve with sopping bread.

Serves: 4

Heat oven to 275° F

Ingredients:

Flour dredge

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

Dash ground allspice

Dash ground clove

2 pounds beef chuck steak, cut in 1 inch cubes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, cut in chunks

4 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 ½ cups chopped in bite-size pieces carrots\

4 ribs celery, chopped in bite size pieces

Cook’s Note: Celery leaves add extra flavor

2 cups of peeled (or not as you prefer) chopped in bite-size pieces red, gold, or white potatoes

1/8 teaspoon salt

Alternative vegetables

Cauliflower – Add with (1 cup chopped and reduce potatoes to 1 cup) or substitute (2 cups) for potatoes

Parsnip – add with ( ½ cup peeled and chopped and reduce carrots to 1 cup) or substitute (1 ½) for carrots

Chopped Mushrooms – (1 cup) and sauté with onions

Green, Red, Orange or Yellow Peppers – (½ cup, sliced in ½ inch pieces) Add 10 minutes before serving.

Fresh Peas – 1 cup (boiled 2-3 minutes or steamed 1-2 minutes). Add hot, cooked peas just before serving.

Flavor additives – add only one

1 teaspoon horseradish

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

¼ cup tomato paste

Directions:

Create flour dredge by placing flour, pepper, paprika, allspice and clove in a bowl. Mix well.

Add beef a few pieces at a time and coat thoroughly to dredge.

Heat a large cast iron skillet or frying pan on stove. When hot, add oil. When oil shimmers, add meat.

Brown meat on all sides. Remove cooked meat to side bowl.

Scrape browned spiced flour off the bottom of the pan with a spatula and add to bowl.

Melt butter in frying pan. Add onions and sauté until translucent.

Add any remaining flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour lightly browns.

Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic and bay leaves to pan. Stir.

Add broth slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumping.

Add meat bowl contents to frying pan.

Cover and bake at 275° F for 1 ½ hours. The stew can be cooked on low on top of the stove if it is monitored and stirred frequently.

Remove bay leaves.

Add carrots, potato and celery.

Cover and bake 30 to 40 minutes.

Add salt. Stir.

Serve with sopping bread.