Saturday, October 20, 2012

Beef Stew and Shepherd's Pie (like you've never had before!!)


I have been cooking out of  The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  I must say that I have made more recipes out of this one cookbook, than any other one I own.  If you are like me, you get bored with cooking...the everyday recipes.  I love reading different blogs, cookbooks, and cooking magazines.  You see, I have people who LOVE to eat in my home.  I mean....I never make a single recipe...NEVER!!! :)  Always double...then maybe we will have a little left over.  Last week I made her Beef Stew from our newly packaged "beef" that we have stopped calling "Patrick" and now call "beef".  
Here goes....

Beef Stew

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 pounds beef stew meat 
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves
1 can or bottle of beer or beef broth
4 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 potatoes
4 carrots
2 tablespoons flour

Start by heating your olive oil and butter in dutch oven.  Place stew meat in and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes
Remove meat 
Place chopped onion in pot and reduce heat to low.
Stir onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes
Throw in garlic and stir for 1 minute
Pour in beer, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, paprika, and sugar, salt and pepper.
Finally, return beef to pot, cover and simmer over very low heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  I let this cook for at least 2-3 hours:)
Add potatoes and carrots and simmer for 30 minutes.
To thicken your stew, remove a cup of the broth and stir in the flour.
Pour the mixture back in and serve!  

I have to say that my entire family said this was the best beef stew they had eaten. I really believe that the quality of the beef makes a big difference.  A couple of weeks ago, I purchased stew beef from Sam's and made this same recipe.  It was good.  I made this last week with our grass-fed beef, and I could not believe the difference!  When I was browning the meat, it produced a beautiful, dark gravy!   The taste was so much better.  If you get a chance to purchase grass-fed beef, do it!  It is so worth it!

A couple of days later, I made Shepherd's Pie from the left over stew.  Oh. My. Goodness!!!!
This gives Shepherd's Pie a new meaning!  

All you do is take about 4 cups of the left over stew and put it in a pan.
Put your mashed potatoes on top and bake until the potatoes get a little brown on top!
Another keeper for the Winters!  




Shepherd's Pie



Enjoy!






5 comments:

  1. I have yet to try a recipe from Ree Drummond that I dislike. Her style of cooking never disappoints. I have her enchilladas on our menu for next week, so yummy! :)

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  2. Did you use the beer or beef broth in this? Was questioning the taste as I had made a chili a few weeks ago, one of Jamie Deen's (Paula Deen's son) chili recipes. It called for a 12oz. bottle of beer, I used it but the entire chili tasted like beer... We don't like the taste of beer anyway but wondered if it would be good. Needless to say, we won't be making it again. Just wanted your thoughts on it for the beef stew. :)

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  3. I did use beer and it did not overtake the recipe. I think it is one of the keys to it tasting so good..I would suggest just using less beer and a little more beef broth! Let me know what you think! :)

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