Seasoned to taste: Thrifty Beef Stew

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“Economy” and “energy efficiency” are two words we hear a lot these days, and with good reason. As our economy tanks, and our gas tanks get harder to fill, most of us are looking for ways to be thrifty. So recipes that help us cut costs and get more bangs for our utilities bucks are once again in style.

Slow cooking is a tried-and- true technique cooks have used for eons to make meat tender and to blend disparate ingredients into a mouth-watering mélange. These days most of us aren’t around to tend the fire all day, or even occasionally to stir the pot on the back of the stove. But the benefits of slow cooking — to your palate and pocketbook both — +are as close as your crockpot (AKA slow cooker).

For more than three decades crockpot slow cookers have been a boon to busy cooks, but if you’re like me, they get pulled off the shelf more often when times are tough. Many slow cooker recipes are attractive because they offer the option of dumping stuff in the pot and coming back to dinner at the end of the day. And some dishes come out just fine with the dump-it-and-leave- it approach.

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But others, like beef stew, benefit from a little investment on the front end. The typical slow cooker beef stew recipe often produces a watery, flavorless mix of tough beef and mushy vegetables. Edible, to be sure, but something that makes you feel like you’re “making do.”

But the clever folks at Cook’s Country took on the challenge of creating a slow cooker beef stew that was richly flavored and got the textures just right — tender beef and vegetables cooked but not “mushed.” Recipe developer Diane Unger used a few tricks, but the good news is that her secret ingredients are common items on your pantry shelf, and her veggie variation is as easy as tearing off a piece of aluminum foil.

Secret ingredients: soy sauce, tomato paste and minute tapioca to thicken the stew without a starchy texture. Tricky techniques: Brown meat and onions (if using) ahead, dump in crock pot, then wrap veggies in foil (like the old grill or campfire “hobo pack”) and set on top of the meat mixture. Walk out the door and walk back in hours later to wonderful aroma. Mix meat and vegetables, stir in some frozen peas for color, and you’ve got a thrifty, energy-efficient meal fit for a king!

A couple of notes on the original: You can use much less meat than the recipe specifies. I usually use about 2 pounds of meat and up the vegetables a bit. My carnivores are still satisfied. Vegetables can be varied. Some at my house can’t eat onions. I substitute a couple of shallots instead, and add another cup of broth to make up for the moisture difference. If I don’t have parsnips around, I skip them. If I’m around, a couple of hours before dinnertime I pull out the hobo pack, stir in 8 ounces of quartered fresh mushrooms, replace the pack and proceed as usual. The mushrooms retain some texture and add meatiness without meat. Meat can be browned the night before and refrigerated, making your morning prep swifter.

Hearty Beef Stew

5 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1½ inch cubes (or 2 pounds stew meat or more)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 medium onions, chopped fine

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces (or 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, quartered)

1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons minute tapioca

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dry beef with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add part of beef (leave about ½ inch between pieces) and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow-cooker insert, and repeat with remaining meat (you shouldn’t need more oil).

Add 1 tablespoon oil, onions, and ¼ teaspoon salt to empty skillet and cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring well, for 2 minutes. Add broth and soy sauce, bring to simmer, and transfer to slow-cooker insert.

Toss carrots, parsnips, potatoes, ½ teaspoon thyme (¼ teaspoon if dried thyme) and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap vegetables in foil packet that will fit in slow cooker; crimp edges tight. Stir bay leaves and tapioca into slow-cooker insert; set vegetable packet on top of beef.

Set slow cooker to high, cover, and cook for 6 to 7 hours (or on low 10 to 11 hours). If using mushrooms, 2 hours before cooking time ends, remove foil packet and stir mushrooms into meat mixture, replace foil packet and lid and continue cooking. At end of cooking time, transfer vegetable packet to plate. Carefully open packet (watch out for steam) and stir vegetables and juices into stew. Add remaining thyme and peas and let stand until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. Serves 6-8.

Source: Diane Unger, Cook’s Country

Lynne Ireland lives to eat and welcomes comments and questions from others who do (or don’t). Contact her at savor@journalstar.com.