Homemade Beef and Root Vegetable Stew

When I made the switch from over a decade of vegetarianism to a more paleo based existence, one thing I found difficult was finding recipes for stews that were not filled with flour and potatoes. As someone with insulin resistance, I have always had a terrible reaction to potatoes, and gluten makes my eczema flare so I try to reduce the occurrence of both in my diet. My son has even worse eczema flare ups to grains and potatoes (the skins specifically though), so my motivation for making grainless recipes is even more reinforced. We are not perfect, far from it, but we do try to eat grain-lite so to speak. I never found a simple recipe for the very rare beef stew that happens in my kitchen, so I spent years just winging it until I came up with something more than just passable, but pretty danged good. We don’t eat much meat other than chicken, and even that is just a couple times per week. Meat is expensive! When I do make something with red meat or poultry, I want to make sure it is 1) really tasty, and 2) popular with my toddler and infant. My personal beef and root veggie stew concoction below manages to please all palates while keeping everyone’s tummies and skin happy.

• 1 lb beef stew meat, whichever cheap cut is your favorite
• 1 large red onion chopped 2-4 cloves garlic minced
• 2-3 Tablespoons REAL butter 6 stalks celery sliced thin
• 5 large carrots sliced 5 parsnips sliced
• 3 cups water + 1 Tablespoon real balsamic vinegar (may substitute with 2 cups water + 1 cup dry red wine)
• Salt to taste
• Ground pepper to taste
• 1 pinch hand ground rosemary to taste
• 2 pinches thyme to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas or fresh chopped kale (optional)

Start with browning your meat and onion. The beef should be in large 1.5 inch chunks. I start it in a heavy bottomed pot. Stainless steal or cast iron work wonderfully. Just do not use non-stick. Brown the meat with the red onion, garlic, and butter.

Keep browning on medium-high heat until the butter is dried up and meat is sticking to the bottom of the pot. At this point add either a cup of red wine and stir until it is mostly reduced, or drizzle a tablespoon of  balsamic vinegar in the pot. Stir the vinegar in and let everything begin sticking to the bottom again.

Add your celery, carrots, and parsnips. If I am making this for adults, I leave the vegetables in big chunks, but I am usually cooking for a 2 year old and one year old, so I sliced them up small. Stir the vegetables in, getting them coated in the butter and vinegar or wine reduction. As soon as the bottom is getting very brown and sticky, you can add your water and scrape up the bottom drippings.

Add your pinch of salt and a liberal amount of black pepper. Bring the pot up to a boil for a minute, then turn your heat down low and let your stew simmer very lightly for a good five hours.

Once everything is soft and creating a nice rich broth, your meat should be falling apart. At this point you should add your herbs. Adding them too soon can make the broth bitter. You can add any of your favorite pairings with beef. I like rosemary and thyme ground right in my palms. After adding herbs, let it cook for one more hour.

Toward the end, I like adding some greenery of some sort. If it is a small batch that will leave no leftovers, I like fresh chopped kale. I hate leftover cooked kale though, so I usually add a cup of frozen peas in the last 20 minutes.

Depending on how much liquid had reduced, or how starchy your vegetables are, you might wish to thicken your broth  a little. Carrots and parsnips do not break down and thicken the broth like potatoes do. I know a lot of people would use flour, but we don’t even have wheat flour in the house since I rarely would use it. I have found a single teaspoon of rice flour can thicken the broth in a large pot if you give it 20 minutes or so. Otherwise, tapioca starch can work in much the same way if you are completely grain free.  For a more natural and really delicious twist, a pureed sweet potato adds great texture and flavor to a pot of stew. It really comes down to personal preference and your personal goals with making real food at home. Rutabagas are a popular addition.

I prefer this stew by itself in a bowl, but my two year old loves it poured over a baked sweet potato. Then again, he prefers everything mixed into a sweet potato! If your meal is not complete without a nice filling starch,  it also goes great over some biscuits or dumplings. I will admit it is awesome over some rice with a splash of soy sauce, even though not really the healthiest option for us. No matter which way you like it, hearty stews are excellent in cold January weather. When my feet are freezing on the hardwood floor and there is a draft wafting through the windows, I love curling up with a hot stew.

Do you have a favorite go-to stew recipe for cold winter nights?

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