Fall into this warm, delicious, and easy Autumn Stew!

It’s fall! I know a lot of people love fall. They look forward to it all year. I’ll be honest. It’s not really my favorite. My trouble is I just feel like it’s ushering in winter. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few good points. Here in Vermont we really do have a spectacular show when the leaves change most years. I can’t deny that it really is beautiful for a few weeks. The other thing I do enjoy when fall comes is the food. I really love some good comfort food. A warm stew really is lovely in the fall.

Autumn/fall stew- A warm hug from your kitchen

A good stew always stands out to me. It’s like a bowl of fall apart tender beef (or meat of choice) in a bowl of it’s own gravy, creamy potatoes, and of course the veggies to go along with it. It feels like a splurge even with the least expensive, toughest cut.

It’s also one of the first relatively “complicated” meals I taught myself to cook. It’s really not that complicated, but I was around 9 or 10 tops, and didn’t have anyone to teach me. My dad had got the meat started I believe, but I had a hunch I could improve on his regular boiled dinner style. I wanted more flavor, and wound up learning at least one other new trick that day too. It got me started on my path of just going with my gut in the kitchen. Ok, unless I’m baking. I’m capable of measuring but when it’s only going to adjust flavor, I taste, taste, taste, and measure with my heart.

When it comes to flavor, I don’t like to burn my tongue off, but I definitely want to taste my food. This likely started with eating to my mom’s taste when I was very small- She ate hot peppers by the jarful. She was no slouch in the kitchen either! Then, when we lost her it fell to my dad to do the cooking. He really wasn’t a terrible cook. He was perfectly capable, but it wasn’t something he loved to do. We ate a lot of t.v. dinners, and one pot wonders. My dad often boiled proteins that could have been drastically improved with only the simplest changes, like pan searing for a couple minutes, or adding less water. Something that escaped me for years was that water from this practice became good stock that we really should have been using better.

Anyway, lets get to the stew that taught me a few techniques through my own desire to improve it through the years!

Autumn stew Ingredients:

Beef- Really any cut can be used, but it works best with either “stew beef” which is already cut for you, or a roast that you cut into cubes yourself.

Bouillon- just one or two cubes, or spoonfuls depending on what kind you have. In all honesty you could make it without, but it is better with it.

Gravy master, just a small splash- I discovered this stuff in my dad’s pantry by accident, mmm! If you don’t have any that’s fine but I highly recommend using at least either this or the bouillon.

Potatoes- Add enough to go with the size of your stew meat. If you’re trying to be frugal be a bit heavy handed with the potatoes.

Carrots- Again, enough to go with the size of your chosen stew meat. Be heavy handed with these cheap, flavorful veggies if you are trying to be particularly frugal.

Any other root veggies that catch your eye. I’ve been known to add winter squashes, or parsnips. I wasn’t a fan of turnip, but if you are it definitely works here.

Onion, garlic, herbs, and spices- I personally discovered the magic of curry powder on my first go around. It was a bit unexpected, and definitely brought something new. Often I find some random sauce in the fridge that just seems right too.

Oh, and about a tablespoon (or small palmful) of flour!

Autumn stew Instructions:

1. Put oil in a pan and start it heating up. A cast iron Dutch oven is my favorite for this, though lately mine has been buried in the cupboards. While the pan or Dutch oven heats up season the meat.
2. Place the meat in the pan to let it sear.
3. If you are using a separate pan for searing prepare your pot by adding just a little oil to the bottom.
4. Sear at least two sides of the meat and add the onion and garlic.
5. Add flour and stir well
6. Add about ½ to 1 cup of one of the liquids. Plain water will work if need be. Stock and/or a bit of red wine can be used for a little extra flavor. I wouldn’t just use straight wine by itself, just as a half cup to a cup. (If you do use red wine add it first) Stir.
7. If you had to use a separate pan to sear then this is when you put everything together into the bigger pot.
8. Add more of your liquid of choice to at least an inch above stew meat and stir
9. Add herbs, spices, bullion, and sauces of your choice. If you are using water tasting at this point won’t do much good, trust the process. Be patient. You can add more flavor later.
10. Cut potatoes, carrots and other veggies if you haven’t already. Cut one potato smaller than the rest, and add that one to the pot.
11. Once the meat has been simmering at least 2 hours add the rest of your veggies.
12. Stir and taste. Add more seasoning if needed. Remember, the broth is still reducing. The potatoes absorb a lot of flavor though, and many root veggies like carrots are sweet. If you add something tender, like peas, don’t add those until you are almost ready to serve.
13. Let simmer 30 minutes to an hour or until veggies are tender to your preference.
14. Taste. Adjust as necessary and serve!

Enjoy this warm fall stew!