Mastering the 20 Minute Meal

There’s nothing like the smell of beef stew wafting through your house on a cold winter day. This recipe can be cooked in a slow cooker or more quickly in a big pot if you’re in a hurry. It can also be prepped and then put into the fridge for to heat up the next day. The beef can be replaced with turkey or chicken for a change.

¼ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup flour
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped fine
4 14-oz. cans beef stock or canned beef broth
1 12-oz. can V-8 or tomato juice
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 bay leaves
3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped

1 cup coarse chopped celery

1 ½ cups baby carrots

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Coat beef in flour. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add coated beef and sauté until browned (approx. 5 minutes). Add the garlic and onion, sauté another minute. Place everything into your slow cooker and add beef stock, V-8, salt, pepper, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Add vegetables (except the parsley). Stir to combine. Set for 4 – 6 hours.

(If you don’t want to use a slow cooker, place the meat and all the other ingredients into a large pot. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.)

Before serving, be sure to find and discard all the bay leaves! Scoop the stew into a serving bowl. Garnish with parsley and you’re ready to serve.

Should make 6-8 servings