This recipe was first posted in November 2013, but I think it is due for a re-write. As well I wanted to adapt it to the Fast Metabolism Diet, which was amazingly easy to do. You don’t need to be on the diet to appreciate this wonderful meal. It is so easy, you just mix everything together in a large bowl, pour it into a casserole dish, cover and leave in a low oven for 5 hours. Time to catch up on some of the Harry Potter movies that are playing in marathon session on TV this weekend. Your whole house will be filled with wonderful smells. This recipe is good enough to serve company. It is appropriate for phase 1 or 3.
The original idea came from a cookbook (mine now well-used, stained, and tattered) called Cold-Weather Cooking by Sarah Leah Chase. She was one of the co-authors of the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook. She lives in Nantucket and the recipe is perfect for stormy, cold evenings.
Note: I would not transfer this recipe to a slow cooker, it will have far too much liquid. Slow cooker recipes need an entirely different formula for success. Also, please check your tapioca label if you need this recipe to be gluten-free, not all of them are. Minute Tapioca is gluten-free.
5 Hour Beef Stew
(6-8 servings)
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ lbs of lean beef stew meat, cut into 1 – 1 ½ inch cubes
- 6-8 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks the size as the meat
- 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks the same size as the meat
- 6-8 shallots, peeled and left whole
- 4 cloves of garlic, 2 finely chopped and 2 peeled but left whole
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional if your family does not like spicy food)
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ cups of sugar-free vegetable juice, tomato juice or a large can of tomatoes, puree in your blender with additional water to make 2 1/2 cups if necessary
- 1/2 cup dry red wine, water or broth
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- 3 ½ tablespoons of tapioca, I used Minute Tapioca
- Chopped parsley for serving
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F
- In a large mixing bowl combine the beef with all the vegetables. Season with the garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. No, you don’t need to pre-brown the meat! I know, I didn’t believe it either but I’ve made this many times and it works.
- In a small bowl whisk together the tomato juice, wine or water or broth, mustard, and tapioca.
- Add this mixture to the meat and vegetables, stir to blend well.
- Transfer the stew to a large casserole or Dutch oven. Cover tightly and cook 5 hours without opening the lid or disturbing.
- Taste for salt, some tomato juices are very salty. Add more freshly ground pepper as desired.
- You can serve this directly or refrigerate overnight and reheat the next day.
- Garnish with chopped parsley
5 Hour Beef Stew
5 Hour Beef Stew
5 Hour Beef Stew
Use your imagination as far as vegetables. I used carrots, parsnips and shallots this time. In the past, I’ve added turnips, potatoes, boiling onions, kohibrabi, celery root and elephant garlic. Use this recipe as your canvas for what you find at the market or in your garden.
Serve with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, pasta, or this amazing fat-free cauliflower mash. 1/8 (about 1 cup) of the recipe would be a phase 1 dinner with some brown rice or pasta. A sweet potato would also be nice with it.
If you have some, serve the pickled mustard seeds on the side. I did and it was a good counterpoint to the richness of the meat. Horseradish would also be good.
Add a salad freshly gathered from the garden, you have an easy weeknight dinner which feels much fancier than it is.
Fat-free Cauliflower Mash
Fat-free Cauliflower Mash with Beef Stew
2 – 3 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 head of fresh cauliflower, washed and broken into florets. Woody stems peeled and chopped
- 1 head of fresh garlic, peeled and left whole
- 1/2 bunch of green onions or scallions, roughly chopped, white and light green parts only
- 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions:
- Add the cauliflower, scallions and garlic to a large pot.
- Add the chicken or vegetable broth
- Bring all back to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes until everything is very tender
- Pour into a colander over a large bowl, saving the broth.
- When slightly cooler, puree in your blender or food processor, adding broth as needed until you have a smooth mash.
- Taste for salt and pepper.
- Save the cauliflower cooking water for soup.
This is creamy, and delicious. But…it is not rich mashed potatoes. You could add cream and butter but that would be defeating the purpose. If not restricting dairy, I might add some cottage cheese to the blender with the cauliflower. I think that would up the flavor profile a bit. Puree both until very smooth and creamy. Make sure you add enough salt, that is a key element.
