Best Hearty Busy Day Stew Recipes

BUSY DAY BRUNSWICK STEW (CROCK POT)

Steps:

• 1. In a heavy skillet, heat shortening or oil and brown the rabbit or chicken pieces very well, until they are turning golden brown on the outside.
• 2. Remove the meat to a slow cooker set on high.
• 3. In the same skillet, cook onion in the salt pork (chopped fine) until salt pork is turning crispy and onion is golden brown.
• 4. Put this into the slow cooker.
• 5. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with juice, lima beans, corn, potatoes, and tomato sauce (if desired) to the slow cooker. Add water if necessary to fill slow cooker at least 3/4 full. Cook on high power, covered, for about 1-2 hours, then turn to low and cook 6 or more hours stirring ocassionally. NOTE: Tomato sauce is not traditional in this recipe, but can be added if you like a stronger tomato flavor.
• 6. Remove the chicken pieces from the Crock Pot. Take the pieces off the bone, shred with a fork and return to the Crock Pot.
• 7. One hour before serving, stir in black and red peppers to taste, cider vinegar, and salt to taste. Heat through to blend flavors. May heat about an hour or longer if desired. This is good now, but really better heated up the next day.
• 8. NOTE: I sometimes make this using pre-cooked leftover chicken meat from a rotisserie chicken or another source. Use at least 3-4 cups of meat, and omit the shortening/browning stage. Just put the meat in the slow cooker. Proceed with browning the salt pork. Some cooks will put about 1/2 pound of cooked crumbled sausage in, too. It really depends on what you have on hand. Sometimes they add okra, but my father always said okra makes it Gumbo, not Brunswick Stew.

CLASSIC, HEARTY BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place beef cubes into a large bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add flour and paprika and toss until evenly coated.
• Heat oil in an oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef cubes in batches until dark brown, about 4 minutes per side. Flip or stir gently with a wooden spoon until all edges are dark brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove beef and set aside.
• Add onions to the beef fat with more salt and pepper; cook and stir until they begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir until aromatic and soft, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it turns brown and begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up the flavorful browned bits on the bottom. Let the wine reduce until almost dry again, about 3 minutes.
• Add dried thyme, dried rosemary, herbes de Provence, and bay leaves. Add 2 cups beef broth and Worcestershire, stir, and bring to a boil. Add the seared beef cubes back into the stew liquid. Remove from heat and cover the pot.
• Braise in the preheated oven until meat is almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven. Add carrots, potatoes, and more beef broth if needed. Cover and return to the oven to braise until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer.
• Discard bay leaves. Stir in peas, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. Serve hot.

BUSY DAY BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Place roast in a 5-qt. slow cooker; sprinkle with soup mix, browning sauce if desired, salt and pepper. Pour water over meat. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender., Remove roast to a cutting board; let stand for 5 minutes. Add vegetables to slow cooker. Cube beef and return to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 1-1/2 hours or until vegetables are tender. , Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into stew. Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes or until thickened.

BUSY DAY BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Place into crockpot in this order: potatoes, carrots, meat.
• Sprinkle the meat with the soy sauce, salt, paprika, flour, in that order.
• Spread the chopped onions on top of that.
• Combine the beef broth and tomato sauce; pour over all of the above.
• Cover and cook on low 9 to 11 hours.
• May be cooked on high for 5 hours.
• May be stirred during cooking, although, stirring is not necessary.