Most people consider stews a hearty comfort meal that is usually the star of the show during cold weather. It is a combination of various ingredients consisting of meat or fish alongside vegetables, boiled slowly until all the flavors are infused in a thick gravy-like consistency. In the earlier years, stews were more of a necessity than a delicious dish. People added in all sorts of available ingredients combined in one pot for a filling meal.
Beef offers several health benefits when taken in moderation. Red meat is nutritious and loaded with vitamins and minerals plus antioxidants that are highly beneficial for your health. While too much of it is not advised, beef combined with more vegetables can provide you with a balanced meal containing essential nutrients. There are several variations for beef stew recipes. Here is one that is easy to prepare and mixed with vegetables for a healthy, hearty meal.
Homestyle beef stew over vegetables
Ingredients:
2 lbs beef for stewing
⅓ cup vegetable oil
½ cup flour
1 large onion chopped
3 cups water
3 beef bouillon cubes
5 medium potatoes cut in chunks
5 carrots cut in chunks
1 10 oz package of frozen peas
Spinach or other green leafy veggies
Procedure
- Cut meat into chunks, about 1 ½ inch thick. Coat pieces with flour and set aside remaining flour.
- Add meat chunks in oil and sear until brown. Remove browned pieces and reduce your heat to medium.
- Add the onions into the pan with drippings and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add in the leftover flour.
- Slowly add water together with the bouillon cubes, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring until the mixture has a slightly thicker consistency.
- Add the meat chunks in. Increase heat to boiling and continue stirring. Cover and reduce heat to low, allowing the stew to simmer and the meat to tenderize. This will take about 2 hours, depending on the toughness of the beef. Stir occasionally.
- Add potatoes and carrots. Increase heat to medium until boiling point. Reduce heat and cover, making it slowly simmer for another 20 minutes before stirring in the peas. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Lay the beef stew over your chosen cooked green leafy vegetables and serve.
Side dish accompaniments to beef stew
Crusty bread is one of the best side dishes for a hearty beef stew. It complements the dish perfectly. Homemade bread is delicious, dunked into the thick consistency of the stew. Mashed potatoes go very well with this dish too. It is easy to prepare, and you may even lay your stew over it and have an even more sumptuous meal. You may also opt for a green bean salad with its crunch and flavour. Freshly baked biscuits are just as easy to prepare and can be another addition to your beef stew.
The cooking time may take a while, but the finished dish is worth the wait. Whether it looks like a long cold night or a summer day, beef stew is an excellent idea for the main dish for family and friends alike.
