Beef Stew on a Cold January Sunday 2013

Today was a cold Sunday in January, the perfect day to make Beef Stew.

Although this hunk of meat was expensive it made enough large servings for eight.

 The butcher at the grocery store advised me that a beef chuck roast was the best cut for juicy pieces in a stew.

The marbled meat required cutting and trimming,

 but the chunks looked wonderful, and was worth the effort.

I placed the chunks of beef into a mixing bowl and added a few tablespoons of all purpose flour, salt, and pepper and tossed.

 In a large pan, I poured some vegetable oil,

 then added the coated meat chunks.

I browned the chunks and stirred with a wooden tool.

 Next, I pealed about eight smallish Yukon Gold potatoes, 

 and chopped the potatoes into small pieces.

 I did the same with two large fresh carrots,

and  Fresh Parsley.

 The potatoes and carrots were par-boiled.

 Two cubes of beef bouillon

 were melted in a measuring cup with some of the vegetable water.

 The potatoes and carrots went into the crock pot.

Frozen cut string beans and cut corn were added.

 Red wine and dry mustard were added.

 Usually I would have started this recipe with sauteed chopped onions, but the guest requested no onions, so I snuck in some onion salt for taste.

The stew was covered and the crock pot set at high for several hours.  If the liquid is too thin, add some corn starch to a cup of the liquid, whisk, then return to the crock pot.  Slow cooking and the correct cut of beef makes each piece tender.

 Along with some good red wine, the beef stew was served with a Pumpernickel roll.  It turned out to be delicious, and the leftovers will be even better!   Compared to dining out and ordering Beef Stew, making your own is actually less expensive and probably better due to selecting a really great cut of beef.  Enjoy, and Cheers from the Jarvis House kitchen! Happy New Year.