Paula Deen Beef Stew

The sun is shining and I can see some grass in the backyard.

The temperature is 15 degrees above zero.

Yesterday it was near 40 degrees.

It seems like a bad joke to have days fluctuating so much!

My feet are cold and I am just chilled so I decided to cook.  That always warms me up.

I grabbed package of frozen beef stew meat from the freezer and started to thaw it.

After a quick search on FoodNetwork.com I decided to make Paula Deen's Old-Time Beef Stew.  It was absolutely delicious!  Here's how to make it.

2 pounds stew beef
2 T. vegetable oil
2 cups water (I used 3 and could have used one more)
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. paprika
Dash ground allspice or ground cloves
Better Than Bouillon (this is my addition to the recipe)
5 small potatoes (another addition I made to the recipe)

I always start cooking by filling my sink with hot, soapy water.  Especially with raw meat, I want to be able to wash my hands quickly and easily.

Assemble the ingredients you'll be using.

My stew meat was slightly frozen.  I've learned from experience that partially frozen meat going into hot oil can be dangerous.  Make sure your meat is thawed!

In a large stock pot, heat 2 T. vegetable oil.  When heated, add the meat to brown it.  I stir it all the time to keep from sticking too much to the pan.  You just want to see brown on all the pieces as you aren't cooking it all the way through.

Add the water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the bay leaves and garlic clove.

Add chopped carrots, celery and I also added potatoes.

My secret ingredient is the Better than Bouillon beef flavoring.  About 1 t. is enough.  Add it now.

Cover the pot again and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer.  You can add cornstarch to some of the hot liquid (in a separate bowl) and re-add to the stew if you like it thick.  With the addition of the potatoes, my stew was plenty thick with veggies.

It was delicious and the perfect meal for a chilly March day!