You have to plan ahead for this recipe, but it is ridiculously easy to prepare and once in the oven, your home will soon fill with the most incredible aroma! It will be torture to wait five hours to eat this amazing comfort food! The meat literally falls apart and the gravy is rich and savory! A good hearty bread is the perfect accompaniment. When no one is looking, take a crusty piece of bread and sop up all the gravy left on the plate!
Start with 1 1/2 pounds of lean stew meat. If the pieces are larger than about an inch, I cut them in half with my kitchen shears.
Brown in 2 T. olive oil. I use garlic gold olive oil, because it adds just the right amount of garlic flavor. (and easier than peeling and mincing a clove of garlic) You will need to do this in a couple batches, because you don’t want your meat to be crowded and just steam cook. You want those brown bits on the bottom of your pan…that is where the flavor is!
Cut up 6 carrots, 2 c. potato chunks and 2 slices of celery. Place vegetables over meat.
Add one envelope dry onion soup mix, 3 c. tomato juice and 3 T. minute tapioca. Stir well. Salt & pepper to taste. If you don’t want that much tomato flavor, substitute part beef broth.
Cover and bake at 250 for 5 hours. After 4 hours you can add a bag of frozen green beans or peas if desired. You will be tempted to peek and nibble…but be strong, it is worth the wait! This is a perfect recipe to prepare if you are having a group in for dinner. With a simple green salad and a loaf of hearty bread, your meal is complete!
Five Hour Oven Stew
1 1/2 # lean stew meat
2 T. olive oil (I use garlic gold oil)
6 carrots, cut up
2-3 c. potatoes cut up (red potatoes keep their shape better)
2 stalks celery, cut up
3 T. minute tapioca
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
3 c. tomato juice (part beef broth is OK)
salt and pepper to taste
Brown meat, and add the rest of ingredients. Stir will. Cover and place in a 250 oven for 5 hours. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives and serve with a hearty loaf of bread!
