Ah, a basic beef stew, and a hard winter approaching. Yum.
Only things I've changed from the original family one is not using a pressure cooker, use of a few different types of spuds, (exotic - even kifflers!) a bit higher meat ratio and 5-6 of those common, tiny hot, red chillies, finely chopped. I was rapt how well the chillies went in a standard old beef stew after first trying it out. I found 5-6 about right.
Leftover stew on buttered toast for brekky, just a little bit of vegemite stirred in to the stew in the saucepan while reheating, and stir around to reduce the liquid a bit, coz of the toast. (Doesn't take long with small brekky amount).
Oh man, seeing that picture of a stew, I want that now.
Nothing fancy, cooked in a big pot with the lid on:
Brown the cubed gravy beef, or stewing steak (stewing steak looks poorer quality raw, but responds better to a lengthy cook) I usually use about a kilo, but reckon anywhere from between 1/2 to 1 and 1/2 kilo is alright
Add Campbells liquid Beef stock
Chopped hot chillies
4 - 6 x chopped Carrots
A few different kinds of cut up spuds, (plenty...even a couple of kipflers)
Some cut up Haricot Beans (the long green ones)
Small can of chopped tomatoes
2 chopped Onions (not cut too small small, or just quarter them and and shuck off little onion layers instead)
Most of about 1/4 of a small cabbage, sliced
Some sweet potato, not much - I cut them a different shape from the carrots so as not to get confused eating them haha
Optional turnip, pumpkin, peas, even broccoli, although broccoli suffers in a long cook (none of these go in mine, but some like...)
Splosh in a bit of Worcestershire sauce, and glug in a bit more tomato sauce
Bring it up to simmer for about 2-4 hours, give it a few gentle stirs along the way - not too many and more gently as it gets cooked, or it breaks things up, you just want to distribute the ingredients a bit.
Some add a bit of flour to thicken it, but I prefer mine to have a clear liquid.
I rarely use salt on meals, but this is a simple stew and deserves and rewards it.
Nice to eat bread with it. A standard bakery crusty white french continental or cob loaf goes well.
