This is my first attempt at making a stew. And I must say I am happy with the result. That's a lot for me to say coming from a long line of great stew cooks (and just cooks in general). My Mom makes the best stew known to mankind. It's a maelstrom of flavor, chock full of veggies, slow cooked into tender morsels. It's been years since I've had it, but can still smell it.
My Grandma makes a Brisket, cooked for 8 hours, tender, flavorful explosion in your mouth that always makes the Jewish Holidays, well, feel like a Jewish Holiday.
Needless to say I have high expectations.
I started out with this basic recipe. But ended up making a mix of all three. NOTE: You don't need a slow cooker for this recipe, I used an iron skillet to brown the beef, and then a dutch oven to cook the stew overnight on the lowest oven setting. But if you have a slow cooker, it is more energy efficient than running an oven on low for10 hours... sorry mother nature. I call it drunken stew because I marinate the beef in red wine over night, but use beer in the broth, and a few more beers to drink while I cook.
Over Night Marinade for London Broil
- 1 cup add more if needed...red, red, wine. (I had too)
- Seasoning (cumin, jane's krazy salt, paprika, black pepper, onion powder)
- 1 TBS olive oil
- Sprinkle all your seasonings on both sides of the meat.
- Add wine and olive oil and let sit over night, or while you're at work. Approx 8 hours.
- Discard marinade.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef ( I used London broil)
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 1 TBS unsalted butter
- 2 TS Janes Krazy salt
- 3/4 TS black pepper
- 1 TS dried leaf thyme
- 1 TS dried ground marjoram
- 1 TS dried l fresh garden basil
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 5 garlic cloves in food processor
- 12oz chicken broth (get the one with NO MSG!)
- 1 can or bottle (12 ounce) beer ( I used Sierra Nevada with a strong hops taste)
- 4 medium carrots, chopped in 1-inch pieces
- 4 medium to large potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes
- 1 large onion in food processor
- *1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- *1/4 cup cold water
Preparation:
- Remove meat from marinade and cut into 1 inch cubes.
- Add the onions, oil, butter, garlic, and meat and brown.
- Add the beer to the skillet and reduce heat.
- Add the broth, vegetables, and all the seasonings. If you are working with dried seasonings I would recommend using a Mortar & Pestle (I have small wooden one) it releases the flavors.
- Add the browned meat to the dutch oven, cook at 350F for 90 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 200F over night.
- In the morning you will have delicious stew.
- * If you want a thicker stew in a small bowl or cup mix the flour and cold water until smooth; stir into the stew until hot and thickened (I didn't feel the need to do this step.)
Serves 6 generously.
