Wonderful Wednesday Wrecipes!

What follows is another family favorite- one of my top five faves.

Get a nice loaf of Italian bread or crusty rolls and you'll be in heaven!

Beef Stew

• 1 ½ - 2 lbs chuck stew beef, cut into 1” chunks (DON'T get "round"!!)
• 4 carrots, peeled & cut into 1” chunks
• 1 medium onion, chunked
• 3 celery stalks, chunked (leafy parts are extra good!)
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
• 4 potatoes, peeled & cut into 1” chunks
• 1 cup flour, seasoned with 3 TBSP essence spice mix*
• 2 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cup vermouth, or red wine, or beer if that’s all you have
• 8 oz. Can tomato sauce
• 3-4 cans beef broth- the regular, 14 ounce size, or 1 humongous + 1 regular
• salt & pepper to taste
• vegetable oil

(cast of characters)

Heat large pot over medium high heat, add 3 TBSP oil.

(cut meat into 1" cubes-ish)

(same with veggies, although I cut the carrots on the bias for fun)

Dredge meat cubes in seasoned flour, shake off excess.

Fry in batches over medium high heat until crispy brown on most sides. You don’t want to crowd the pan, and you’re not trying to cook the meat thru- just brown the outside.

Remove browned meat to a bowl and continue with rest of meat, adding more oil to coat bottom of pan as necessary.

When all meat is cooked, add 2 more TBSP oil, and stir in chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ tsp pepper.

Saute several minutes, until onion starts to turn translucent, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in herbs and vermouth (or wine). Cover pot and steam 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, add meat back to pot with tomato sauce, beef broth and potatoes, stir to combine thoroughly. Add enough broth to cover everything.

Put into crock pot, and cook on low 8-10 hours.

(I've been lazy & using red potatoes so I won't have to peel!)

OR:

If pot is oven proof, cook in oven at 275 degrees for 4 hours. Check piece of meat and potato or carrot for tenderness. Bake up to 2 more hours if required.

Good reheated the next day- don't forget to take the bay leaf out and discard!

* Bonus recipe!

Essence Seasoning Mixture (by Emeril)

• 2-1/2 TBSP paprika
• 2 TBSP salt
• 2 TBSP garlic powder
• 1 TBSP black pepper
• 1 TBSP onion powder
• 1 TBSP cayenne pepper
• 1 TBSP dried oregano
• 1 TBSP dried thyme

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container or jar. Can be used on chicken, beef, vegetables.