Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It is a bowl of stew!

Not sure how you got those mixed up. 

After a brief hiatus, I have returned with a meal that I NEED you to make, especially as the weather gets colder and the snow on your cars gets harder and harder to clear off. It is no secret that I am a fan of soup, as everyone should be, but this soup combines some of my favorite flavors with its bone-warming taste. 

I am, of course, talking about a thick beef stew. It is hard to beat a combination of carrots, beef and potatoes wrapped lovingly in a bowl of thick gravy. There is something cheerful and seasonal about a thick bowl of stew with a nice piece of bread to soak up anything your spoon misses. 

This recipe has everything.

This recipe makes a large batch of finger-licking stew, but it also pairs with being inexpensive and incredibly easy to make. You will be impressing your friends and loved ones this holiday season when you whip out this recipe on a cold Saturday night. At roughly three hours of prep time total, this recipe becomes a project but one you can do other things between the cooking time.

When you are feeling the chill, make sure this recipe is ready to go.

Hope you enjoy! 

INGREDIENTS 

2 lbs cubed stew beef

3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

4 cubes of beef bouillon 

4-6 cups of water

1 teaspoon of rosemary

1 teaspoon of parsley

2-3 cloves of finely chopped garlic to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (or around 5 small potatoes)

4-5 carrots 

1 large finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons of cornstarch 

2 teaspoons of cold water

2 Bay Leaves

Cooking the Stew Meat

Add oil to a large pot, and put it on the stove at medium heat

Cook your stew meat in batches, making sure that all of the dies are brown and have color on them

Once cooked set the stew meat aside, lightly salting them

Dissolve beef bullion cubes in hot water and add to pot

Add beef back into the pot and then add your rosemary, black pepper and parsley

The Waiting Game

Bring everything to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer 

Cover with a lid and let simmer for one hour, stirring around every twenty minutes

Use this time to cut your veggies into big chunks and chop your onion and garlic finely

Optional: in a separate pot on medium add onions and garlic toward the end of the hour to get some color on them

Stew is in sight

Add vegetables in along with onions and garlic

Mix together cornstarch and cold water and add it to the pot, stirring well

Cover the pot and let simmer for one more hour

Serve with french bread and season with salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy!

If you recreate this recipe or any other recipe, use the hashtag #cookingwithcarson