BY NOEL CUNNINGHAM
This easy beef stew recipe is a favourite of my grandmother. This is a must-have dish for her at least once per week. This hearty stew is packed with aromatics, potatoes and carrots which lends the stew a depth of flavours you can’t resist. It’s the perfect homemade dish for a simple midweek dinner or on a Sunday with rice and peas and a fresh garden salad. What kind of meat do you use for beef stew? I usually recommend using chuck meat for beef stew. Chuck meat is cut from the front shoulder. It’s a relatively cheap cut, with great flavour for stew and has lots of connective tissue and fat, making the best choice for stews. The flip side is that chuck is made up of different muscles, so you’re more likely to get irregular pieces—some leaner, some fattier, some more tender, some tougher. Overall, it averages out in a good stew. If you find pre-packaged meat labelled “stew meat” at the store, it’s good to ask the meat counter worker what type of cut was used. A good stew will take at least an hour max to cook.
This beef stew is the ultimate, hearty, melt-in-your-mouth comfort food, and so easy to make. This is a great recipe to use in your slow cooker on a busy day. Now is your chance to make your own beef stew at home just like mama did. You will enjoy the inviting aroma while it is cooking, to the rich taste in every bite of this beef stew. This recipe promises warmth, comfort and satisfaction.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef stew meat (such as chuck), cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper seeded and minced
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 cup beef stock or water
- 1/2 teaspoon pimento
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 stalks scallion
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 potatoes washed, peel and diced
- large carrot washed, peeled and diced
Directions
Heat oil in a pot over high heat until smoking. Season with the first seven ingredients. Add beef to the pan and cook without moving until well-browned on one side, about 6 minutes. Stir to loosen the meat. Add tomato paste and stir to combine then add beef stock or water if used and cook for 15-20 minutes then add remaining ingredients and simmer over low flame, stirring constantly and adding water as needed.
Continue cooking until meat is tear-apart-tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes and serve with rice or pasta.
