Beef Stew with Rosemary

It is snowing lightly here in Oklahoma today so we wanted something warm and comforting for dinner.  Jim wanted me to make my beef stew and I thought it was a great idea because I've been wanting to make a cottage pie.  I plan on using the leftovers as the base for it tomorrow night for dinner.  Just because we are snowed in for a couple of days doesn't mean we can't eat well!  

Beef Stew with Rosemary

(printable copy)

2 lbs. lean stew meat , cubed

cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 (14 oz) cans beef broth

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 small head of cabbage, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 teaspoons, cornstarch

2 teaspoons, water

Coat beef in cornstarch and cook in oil in a large pot until brown.  Pour in beef broth and stir in rosemary, parsley, pepper and garlic.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Stir in potatoes, carrots, celery, onions and cabbage into the pot.  Dissolve cornstarch in 2 teaspoons cold water and stir in stew.  Cover and simmer 1 hour more.

I think there is a trick to getting stew meat good and tender.  I put the meat in a large baggy and shake cornstarch over the top and then sear it till it gets a good color on it.  

Another hint is to sear the meat in small batches.  If you put it all in to sear at once the meat will steam and get tough.

Keep the batches small and the stew meat will melt in your mouth!

I also cook the meat in the beef broth studded with all that good rosemary and parsley for an hour before you add the veggies.  This insures the meat gets well cooked and the vegetables don't get overcooked.

I had a helper in the kitchen today.  This is my daughter Bay.  She is a great little helper.  Bay loves to cook and make lots of treats for her big brothers Ty and Tan.   

I like to serve our stew with a thick rustic sourdough loaf or my  sweet cornbread.  They both go so good with that wonderful rosemary scented broth.  Pure comfort food!

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