Basic Beef Stew

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups water
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves (or 1 sprig fresh)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 lb peeled carrot, cut in large pieces
• 3 potatoes, diced
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas
• 1/4 cup cornstarch, mixed in (optional)
• 1/2 cup cold water (optional)
• 3 -5 drops maggi seasoning

Recipe

• 1 in large dutch oven heat oil over medium heat.
• 2 add meat; brown well.
• 3 add onion and garlic; saute until transparent.
• 4 add 4 cups water (slightly less if using pressure cooker) and tomato sauce.
• 5 add bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper.
• 6 bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.
• 7 add carrots, potatoes and peas.
• 8 cover and cook 30 minutes on medium low or until vegetables are tender.
• 9 add corn starch slurry if sauce is too watery.
• 10 bring stew to a boil, stirring constantly.
• 11 boil 1 minute.
• 12 add maggi seasoning and serve with crusty rolls.
• 13 **note-time can be reduced if cooking in a pressure cooker.
• 14 however, please check your pressure cooker instruction booklet for proper times.
• 15 each pressure cooker is different.
• 16 mine reduces time by 1/3.
• 17 some others reduce cooking time by 2/3.