Description
There is never a “bad” time to have a pot of comforting beef stew on the stove or ready in the refrigerator to eat warm or cold. The longer it sits the better it gets. I love stews and broths of all kinds. The below recipe is one of my favorites. It is contributed by one of my favorites, Amy Densmore. The founder of the ever popular website, PaleoCupboard, and author of The Paleo Cupboard Cookbook: Real Food, Real Flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lard or tallow
- 2 pounds boneless beef round roast, cut into 2-inch pieces (I use grass-fed or 5280meat)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups beef stock (page 310)
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons tapioca flour or arrowroot flour
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Melt the lard in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Season the beef with the salt and pepper and add half of the beef to the pan.
- Cook for 3 minutes, or until browned on all sides.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
- Repeat with the rest of the beef.
- Add the onion to the pan and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.
- Add the beef stock, paprika, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves to the pan and stir until the sauce is well combined.
- Return the beef to the pan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beef is tender.
- Whisk the tapioca flour and water together in a small bowl and add to the stew, stirring to combine. Raise the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, add the carrots and mushrooms, and cook, uncovered, for 7 to 10 minutes. (until the carrots are tender and the sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.)
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- To serve, ladle into 4 bowls and top each with a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Try adding 1 cup of chopped celery and 1 cup of chopped green bell pepper at the same time as the onion.
