Comparing Similar RecipesWe thought it would be fun to see how each person makes a certain recipe or meal. Do you use ricotta or cottage cheese in your lasagna? Do you add ketchup to your meatloaf? Let's compare!
Location: Originally from the Home of the only 6 times Super Bowl Champs!
Posts: 12,099
Thanks Shawn
I will check out those new recipes but I was actually looking for tried and true family recipes. I thought maybe we could compare notes like we did with the lasagna post a while back.
When I make stew it changes depending on the vegetables I have on hand. I use chicken or turkey and add a little flour to the broth to thicken it. not much of a recipe I guess. They will never feature this one. LOL
I have a tried and true stew recipe I always use. It's something I threw together with basic ingredients.
2 lbs beef stew meat, dredged in flour
2 16-oz cans diced tomatoes
4 cans of water (from tomato cans)
2 beef boullion cubes
5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4 stalks of celery, cut into chunks
1 large onion cut into wedges
salt and pepper to taste
I dredge the beef stew meat in flour and then brown it in a tablespoon or two of oil. Then I add the tomatoes, water, and boullion. Bring that to a boil and simmer for an hour. Then add the vegetables, salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are done.
You may have to add more water, I just do it by sight. You be the judge ;-)
Whether using beef or Chicken.. I use reduced sodium broth of the same flavor, or you could try vegtable broth (I have yet to try it that way)
2 lbs of either meat cubed and dredged in flour
2 cans of broth
2 cans of gravy (hehe... i cheat on the thickening)
about 4 carrots peeled and cut in 1/2-3/4 inch pieces
4 med. potatoes cut in bite sized pieces
1 onion coarsley chopped
1-2 Tbs. minced garlic (I love garlic.. you may want to use less)
3 celery stocks chopped (include the leaves for great flavor just chop them well)
Olive oil (just a tish to brown the meat in.... add as needed)
worcestershire sauce (just under a TBS)
Dash of hot sauce
Pepper and salt to taste.
Brown the meat in olive oil... then drain (if done right you can just soak up the oil with paper toweling)
Just before it is finished throw all the veggies in to quickly brown them, this gives depth to the stew that I have kept family members wondering how come the recipe tastes better when I cook it, and we are a family that cooks. (I was raised in a restaurant-but we do cheat at cooking at home)
After draining the excess oil add the broth, gravy, garlic, worcestershire, and hot sauce. heat on medium heat, until heated through, then salt and pepper to taste.
This can sit on low for hours on the stove, with just a stir here and there, so it is a very good dinner for the crazy nites that everyones schedual is different.
Serve with Salad and bread.
P.S. If it thickens too much... just add a bit of water at a time, because it thins quickly if covered because of steam.
Location: living where the air is pure in the mountains
Posts: 1,634
I've made this stew for many years and never had a complaint.
I use short ribs , I mix up flour ,pepper and salt in a ziplock bag and put the ribs in this and give them a good shake.
Then place them in a 9x13" pan and pour V8 juice over them making sure you cover them completely. Place tinfoil over the pan and place in the over at 350* and cook until the meat falls of the bones.
then I take the broth form the meat , add the meat without bones to a dutch oven, then I add potatoes, carrots , onions, a little garlic and add enough water to cover the vegiea and the meat.You can add whatever veggies that you like, but, this is what my family likes. I cook this on low heat until the veggies are done and the broth has thickened up to what we like. It depends on your taste, if you like a thick broth, or a thinner broth. Then dish it up and serve with hot biscuits. Yum!!!
Another idea is to throw the little bits of leftover veggies from meal to meal into a container that you keep in the freezer. Sometimes I have a tiny bit of veggy left, but it isn't enough for another meal. After awhile, the container in the freezer will fill up. I take the container of accumulated veggies and make a stew out of it. All I need to do is add meat.
I think that the best stews are made with chicken broth instead of water. I also take garlic and roast it in foil and olive oil. Then, I also like to add it to any stew or soup. It makes it taste wonderful!
Any good recipes for stew??? 
