Old Fashioned Beef Stew - Video

In less than two hours you can have a wonderful stew that is packed with protein and iron. Pull together the following ingredients for this recipe:

• 1 pound beef chuck
• 1/4 cup of flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• Pinch of paprika
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 large onions (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, of course
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 cups beef broth
• 4 cups sliced carrots
• 2 medium russet potatoes (about 2 cups worth)
• 1 cup of cut green beans
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water

Now, let's start putting it all together.

Cut the beef chuck into one-inch cubes. You might be able to find it already cubed up at the grocery store. Place the flour into a paper sack or a plastic bag with the salt, pepper and paprika. Then place the beef cubes into the sack and shake it up well. This coats the beef cubes with the dry mixture.

Pour the oil into a large pot on the stove. Heat the oil on medium high, and then place the beef cubes into the oil and saute them until they are browned. (Once the oil is hot, this should take only about five to seven minutes.) Remove the browned beef from the pot and place it into a bowl. Set the bowl to the side; you're going to use them again shortly.

Cut up the onions and the mushrooms. Place them into the pot (which should still contain hot oil) and saute them also for about six minutes. Now add the minced garlic. Saute the garlic with the mushrooms and the onions for only about one minute, stirring constantly. Be careful that you don't cook the garlic at too high of a temperature or for too long. Garlic is easy to burn if cooked too long or at a temperature that is too high.

Drain the oil out of the pot. Add the sauteed beef that you placed aside earlier into the pot. Stir into the mixture your tomato paste and beef broth. Add enough water to just cover the beef and then bring the mixture to a boil. After it has come to a full boil, reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer it until the meat becomes tender. This should take about an hour and fifteen minutes or so.

While your stew is simmering, peel and slice the potatoes and the carrots. If you finish peeling and slicing them before the meat is tender, place the potatoes and carrots into a bowl of cold water with a pinch of salt. This will keep the potatoes from turning brown. Set them aside until the beef is fully tender.

When the meat is ready to add the potatoes and carrots, slice the green beans. Add the potatoes, carrots, and green beans into the pot. You may need to add a little more water to keep all the food partially covered. Simmer the stew for about fifteen minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

This recipe will serve approximately six servings. Serve it with biscuits, rolls, or corn bread and you'll have a great meal.