Simple Old Fashioned Beef Stew

It is getting colder... and, the weather calls for slowly cooked hearty stew. There is no secret of making a good stew... just simmer for a while good ingredients with correct amount of seasoning.

Of course, you can make the stew a bit fancier with the presentation or with some exotic garnishes and herbs. But... what for? I think stew has to be down to earth style... it should give you the warm, cozy feeling that makes you think you are near a warm fire place with your beloved ones, whether it is your family, friend or pets on a cold winter evening.

Love the feeling? Then, try this simple old fashioned beef stew tonight. :)

Simple & Old Fashioned Beef Stew
(Yield: 4 servings / Cooking time: 3 hours)

Ingredients:

+ 350g beef chunks (about 12-15 pieces) + 2tsp flour + 10g tomato paste + one tomato (seeded and diced) + 1 pint beef broth (low-sodium or no salt added) + 2-3 garlic cloves + one bay leaf + two allspice berries

+ several sprigs of fresh thyme + 100g onion (cut into bite size) + 50g carrot (cut into bite size) + 50g celery (cut into bite size) + 140g potato (cut into bite size) + 100g baby portobello mushroom + salt and pepper + vegetable oil + parsley for garnish

Procedures:

1. Make a small spice bundle with cheese clothes and cooking twine. Include crushed garlic cloves, several sprigs of thyme, allspice berries, and a bay leaf in the spice bundle.


2. Season beef chunks with salt and pepper. Drizzle little bit of oil in a pot and when the pot is heated, and brown each beef chunk all around over high heat. To brown the meat well, do not over-crowd the pot, and try to have at least 0.5-1" space between beef chucks.


3. Sprinkle 2tsp of flour over the browned chunks and cook the flour over medium heat one or two minutes. Please be careful not to burn the flour.


4. Add tomato paste and caramelize the tomato paste over medium heat. If the pot is too hot, turn off the heat completely and cook the tomato paste with residual heat.


5. Pour 1 pint of beef broth, and add diced tomato and spice bundle to the pot and bring to a boil. When the liquid boils, lower the heat to simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and let the stew gently simmer for 2 hours over low heat. Beef chunks should be very soft after 2 hours. Taste the liquid and season with salt and pepper lightly if needed.


6. Remove the lid, and add onion, carrot, celery, mushroom and potato and bring to a boil. Let the liquid boil for 5 minutes covered, and uncover the pot to thicken the liquid by reducing it. Cook for about 10 minutes total, or until the potato is cooked thoroughly. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish the stew with parsley.


Enjoy~