Floor Beef Stew – The Keep At Dwelling Chef

Beef stew is made even simpler by utilizing floor beef. Our signature mix of spices and Worcestershire sauce give our beef stews superb taste and use easy, pantry components.

This recipe is predicated on our well-known Old Fashioned Beef Stew that all the time receives rave evaluations!

If you happen to’ve acquired an extra of floor beef in your freezer, use it in a stew and make a heat, home-cooked meal! Floor beef is a good protein possibility, recognized for being budget-friendly, however that doesn’t imply you must compromise on style. Regardless that this floor beef is thrown in a stew, you continue to get the flavour and texture from the browning of the meat that shines via. When seasoned proper, you get juicy, flavorful meat that may change into your weeknight recipe go-to.

Ingredient Notes

• Floor Beef: Go for floor beef with not less than 80/20 fats content material or leaner to keep away from extra grease. 
• Olive Oil: You need to use any impartial cooking oil like avocado or vegetable oil as nicely.
• White Onion: White onions have a sharper taste, however yellow onions additionally work.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic supplies one of the best taste, however jarred minced garlic works in a pinch.
• Crimson Potatoes: Perfect for stews as they maintain their form nicely when cooked. If unavailable, Yukon Gold potatoes are an ideal substitute.
• Carrots: Child carrots work too, simply lower them into smaller items for even cooking.
• Beef Broth: Select a good-quality, low-sodium beef broth to create a flavorful stew base.
• Tomato Paste: This thickens the stew and provides a concentrated tomato taste.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Soy sauce with a tiny quantity of vinegar can be utilized as an alternative.
• Granulated Sugar: A small quantity balances the acidity and enhances the general taste.
• Allspice: A single spice derived from a berry (not a spice combine), it provides a heat, distinctive word that’s the key to this recipe.
• Cornstarch: Whisking it with water creates a slurry that thickens up your chili.

Floor Beef Choices

We advocate utilizing 80/20 floor beef for this recipe. The additional fats enhances the flavour of the stew.

If you happen to desire a leaner possibility, corresponding to 90/10, that works too. You can even attempt floor turkey or hen for a lighter twist, however be mindful the flavour will probably be a bit totally different.

Take note that utilizing floor beef with the next fats content material will produce extra grease, which you’ll must spoon out to maintain your stew from changing into too greasy.

Cornstarch Slurry

A slurry is a mix that’s manufactured from a liquid and cornstarch, used to thicken soups and stews. They’re mostly made by whisking water, beef broth, or one other liquid along with the cornstarch, earlier than including it to a soup, stew or dish that requires thickening. Very similar to a roux that’s used to thicken gravy or soup, a slurry is made after which progressively added to the dish.

The rationale you don’t wish to add cornstarch on to a dish or pot is as a result of it gained’t incorporate correctly and clumps will type. The water or liquid ushers the cornstarch into the fluid progressively sufficient for it to include earlier than it clumps.

Gradual Cooker Directions

In a skillet over medium-high warmth, add floor beef and brown nicely throughout. Take away the meat to a plate and drain if wanted then switch the browned meat to a gradual cooker.

In a small bowl, whisk collectively 1/4 cup of chilly water and a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch to make a slurry.

Add all remaining components, together with the slurry, to the gradual cooker.

Set the gradual cooker on excessive for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours till the meat and greens are tender to your liking.