Easy Beef Stew

Ingredients.

1 1/2 lbs of stew beef cut into 1/2″ cubes.

3 medium potatoes roughly chopped into 1 inch cubes.

1 medium onion cut in eights lengthwise.

1 large onion roughly diced.

1 clove of garlic, finely minced.

1/4 cup of tomato ketchup. 

3 large carrots chopped into 1 inch pieces.

1 celery stalk, finely sliced.

1 pinch of dried oregano.

1 pinch of dried thyme.

1/2 teaspoon of paprika.

1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley.

1 bay leaf.

Beef broth.

 1/4 cup of your favorite inexpensive  vinegar. 

 Olive oil (or bacon drippings).

Instructions.

Heat an enameled  dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot.

Add ~ 1 tsp of oil or drippings and the roughly diced onion,  reduce heat to medium and slowly cook the onions until they begin to caramelize to a light golden color.  Add the finely minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until garlic no longer smells raw.

Add 

vinegar to the pan to de-glaze.  Scrape the fond off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.  Cook for another minute or so until the alcohol is cooked off then remove the caramelized onions from pan.  Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. 

Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan, turn heat to medium-high and brown the meat in several batches.  Don’t stir meat too often, you want the meat to brown nicely and leave its fond on the bottom of the pan. 

Once all of the meat has been browned, add the carrots, cooked and raw onion, and bay leaf .  Cook until the onion just starts to turn translucent.

Add enough beef broth to just about cover meat, stir in herbs, spices, and ketchup then season well with kosher salt.  Bring to a slow simmer, layer the potatoes on top and reduce heat to low.

Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours or until meat is tender and the potatoes have started to cook down. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.   Allow to cool and place in refrigerator overnight; this allows the flavors to mingle and intensify.

Before serving, heat stew over medium-low heat until hot.  If you like, a cupful of frozen peas or mixed vegetables makes a tasty addition.   

Serve with fresh crusty bread and a glass of your favorite  vinegar.