Drew
Major
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2012
I don't know if this was enjoyed during the Civil War, but if so, they were lucky! It's cold in the mid-Atlantic and today I decided to pull out an old family recipe. Dad wrote it out for me 30 years ago and I've kept it ever since. You will need the following ingredients:
1 lb. beef chuck, cubed for stew
2 carrots
3 potatoes, medium sized
16 ounces chopped tomatoes
One cup or so of green beans and/or green pees
One bottle of red wine (Zinfandel is best, red. Stay away from the pink stuff here).
Spices
Meat and vegetables should be rinsed and scrubbed as appropriate, under cool, gently flowing water.
A large pot (four quarts is best) should be heated on the stove, oiled with whatever light vegetable oil is available. Butter and olive oil are wonderful, but "too heavy" for this recipe. Go with the light stuff.
The rinsed meat should be dried with paper towels and rolled through a plate of flour. Floured meat, a little at a time, should be browned inside the pot on the stove, salted and peppered liberally, then removed.
Carrots should be at least halved and then quartered. Our onion should be peeled to the point that brown skin is removed and both should go into the pot together. Salt and pepper here is good.
Give it several minutes, stirring. Return the browned meat to the pot. Add chopped tomatoes and a cup or so of the red wine. This is a good time to add a few Basil leaves. Cover and simmer, for one hour.
Then, add quartered potatoes. Continue to stir, occasionally.
When the potatoes are close to being cooked, add beans/peas or whatever you've got. Stir until all vegetables are tender.
It may be necessary to add cooking fluids throughout this process. Water is perfectly fine. If you haven't drunk the remaining wine yet, some of that will work.
Serve in a bowl, with a thick slice of bread, slathered with good Irish butter and you will not be disappointed.
(Bonus: Refrigerated, leftover and re-heated stew tastes way better than the original batch!).
1 lb. beef chuck, cubed for stew
2 carrots
3 potatoes, medium sized
16 ounces chopped tomatoes
One cup or so of green beans and/or green pees
One bottle of red wine (Zinfandel is best, red. Stay away from the pink stuff here).
Spices
Meat and vegetables should be rinsed and scrubbed as appropriate, under cool, gently flowing water.
A large pot (four quarts is best) should be heated on the stove, oiled with whatever light vegetable oil is available. Butter and olive oil are wonderful, but "too heavy" for this recipe. Go with the light stuff.
The rinsed meat should be dried with paper towels and rolled through a plate of flour. Floured meat, a little at a time, should be browned inside the pot on the stove, salted and peppered liberally, then removed.
Carrots should be at least halved and then quartered. Our onion should be peeled to the point that brown skin is removed and both should go into the pot together. Salt and pepper here is good.
Give it several minutes, stirring. Return the browned meat to the pot. Add chopped tomatoes and a cup or so of the red wine. This is a good time to add a few Basil leaves. Cover and simmer, for one hour.
Then, add quartered potatoes. Continue to stir, occasionally.
When the potatoes are close to being cooked, add beans/peas or whatever you've got. Stir until all vegetables are tender.
It may be necessary to add cooking fluids throughout this process. Water is perfectly fine. If you haven't drunk the remaining wine yet, some of that will work.
Serve in a bowl, with a thick slice of bread, slathered with good Irish butter and you will not be disappointed.
(Bonus: Refrigerated, leftover and re-heated stew tastes way better than the original batch!).
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