From my cookbook… Dave’s Beef Stew #2
How about a simple and satisfying beef stew? Yes, this is the one you want!
There are over 300 recipes in my recently published cookbook, Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us (Click on the link in Note 1 to get your own copy). Even in these inflationary times, we can prepare delicious meals for our family and do so in a way that does not break the budget. And it’s all in the cookbook!
I love stew!
OK, so you probably know that I have an extensive recipe collection. I’ve been collecting recipes for over 35 years, and I have over 8300 total recipes from magazines, newspapers, online, and of course, ones I’ve developed myself. And then there is my cookbook collection, so who knows how many I really have! Of course, I haven't made them all, but I do reference them regularly as I develop new ones of my own. Never stop learning, I say!
What I do know is that I absolutely love one-dish meals such as soups, casseroles, and stews. In fact, I have 99 different stew recipes, and 35 of them are for beef stew, and this one is my favorite for its simplicity and great taste. I just keep finding that when I’m in the mood for beef stew, this is the one I go for. I know you will enjoy it as much as I do!
David Giustozzi’s Beef Stew #2
I really like hearty one dish meals. Mostly I like them because of their ease of assembly and serving. You can make most of them ahead of time and enjoy time with your family or guest and not run around with food preparation right before mealtime. Another important reason is how one dish meals that are cooked a long time make the house smell good! Nothing like a nice stew in the oven on a cold winter day! Finally, there are the leftovers! Easy to fix for the week. Or use leftovers for David Giustozzi’s Bunny Chow Sandwiches. Cut beef and potatoes into smaller pieces if you think you are going to do this. The kids (big or small) will love them!
As I reviewed my recipes, I noted I have a lot of beef stew recipes. I guess that tells you a little something. I started developing this one as I liked the idea of placing it in the oven as opposed to the stovetop. It took 5 or six times to get it just right but I’m really happy with the result. Not sure if I will make the others anymore! It just seems like it’s a little more hands off that way. I’ve been making it for my father-in-law lately. He’s a picky eater, does not seem to like leftovers but he eats this, along with the leftovers every time! Your whole family will enjoy!
Ingredients
2-3 tablespoons pure olive oil
2 lbs. (a little more is OK) stew meat (Note 1)
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
28 oz. can whole tomatoes, undrained
3 cups or more beef broth (Note 3)
4-6 medium yellow potatoes, peeled (Note 4)
2 cups celery, cut on the bias
10 medium carrots, cut on the bias
3 small onions, chopped coarsely
1 bay leaf
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275. Place a 7-quart enamel coated Dutch Oven (Note 5) on the stove and add the olive oil. Heat to medium low. Combine the stew meat and flour in a bowl and coat the meat. Add to Dutch oven and gently brown (Note 1).
Stir in spices. Add tomatoes (first to prevent splashing), then broth (Note 2).
Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Bake 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring after one hour.
Remove from oven and let rest 10 or 15 minutes. Serve with David Giustozzi’s cornbread (David Giustozzi’s jalapeno cheese is a good choice) or bread of your choice. In either case, be sure to sop up the leftover broth so that when you take your bowl to the sink for washing, it is already clean!
Notes
I never used to use stew meat. I thought it was just the leftover poor-quality meats. Well, I have to say that I’ve had great success with stew meat. Just cut up some of the larger chunks to ensure they are all uniform size. Also, when you brown the meat, just barely get it brown and don’t allow gristle to form or the meat could be tough.
As you add the tomatoes to the stew, crush them with meat chopper or spoon. Be careful as they tend to squirt and make a mess.
I like Better Than Bouillon the best. Feel free to use more broth so you can sop up the broth leftover in your bowl when you are finished eating. Now that’s satisfying! It’s called scarpetta in Italian. Yum!
I like Yukon Gold potatoes the best. Unfortunately, potatoes do not freeze well, typically turning mushy, so I typically don’t freeze this stew. The good news is everyone eats it up in a few days, so I don’t have to worry about it!
Don’t use a cast iron Dutch Oven as the tomatoes will react causing an off taste.
Dave’s Beef Stew #2
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What’s in it for me?
Good eats, that’s what!
Call to Action
Show someone how much you love them by preparing a delicious meal for them. Later, enjoy the time and money you save by relishing your leftovers, either for lunch at work or dinner at home. Take comfort in knowing you are eating hearty food you prepared. All because you made a good decision to follow the recipes and tips in the cookbook I developed just for you.
Besides getting a copy of the cookbook for yourself, it makes an excellent gift for those you love and care for, especially for those with a young family who are looking to save time and money in the kitchen. And learn a few things in the process! What a great idea!
Recommended Resources
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi (Note 1).
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Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/437OhVQ