Sunday Beef Stew

 

My mother made vegetable soup occasionally.  It wasn't her favorite, but she'd make it for my dad because it was HIS favorite.  I never remember her making vegetable beef soup, but Beef Stew was on the regular rotation during the cool months.  She almost always baked homemade yeast rolls to go along with the stew and remembering back to my teenage years, I can still smell the aroma of the beef stew and yeast rolls as I came through the door after school.

Yesterday, I decided to make a batch and, even though I served cornbread instead of yeast rolls, it was a match made in heaven!

You'll need to make sure you cook the stew meat in batches so that the meat isn't crowded.  That was you'll get a good "brown" on the meat instead of it just steaming in the bottom of the pot.

1 - 2 T. olive oil

2 lbs. stew meat cut into bite-sized pieces

1 package Sauer's Beef Stew Seasoning Mix

6 cups beef stock

4 ribs celery, sliced

6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped about the same size as the stew meat

2 medium yellow onions, cut in half lengthwise and then thinly sliced

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

In a large Dutch oven (at least 5 quart size), heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Divide the meat into 2 or 3 batches and cook until the meat has browned, stirring frequently.  Lower the heat to medium if the meat begins to stick and add additional olive oil if needed.  As the meat browns, remove to a large plate and continue browning until all the meat is cooked.

Add all the meat back into the Dutch oven along with any juices on the plate.

Sprinkle in the seasoning packet and stir to coat the meat.  Slowly pour in the beef stock and bring to a simmer.  Add in the veggies and Worcestershire sauce.

Stir well to combine and lower heat to low.  Partially cover the Dutch oven and allow to simmer for 45 minutes or so until the vegetables are tender.  Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle into bowls and serve with cornbread or rolls.