Ingredients
1-2 pounds of stewing beef
1 large onion
1 small bag of baby carrots
1-2 medium potatoes
16 ounce can of tomato sauce
1/4 cup of white vinegar
2 cups of chicken broth
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a large pot, combine the tomato sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, paprika, garlic powder, onion power and sugar. Cook on low heat. If your stewing beef is not already bite size, cut it into bite size pieces and add it to the pot. Turn the heat to medium and let it cook for about 45 minutes. At some point during this time, the broth will begin boiling, this is expected. While the meat is cooking, slice the onions, chop the potatoes into cubes, and, if desired, cut the baby carrots in half. At the end of the 45 minutes, test the flavor of the broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add in the vegetables and cook for another 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Explanation of Ingredient Choices and Some Variations
For this, I was looking for a beef stew that used something a bit different than beef broth and some spices. While I’ve heard tomato soup suggested as a base, I like the flavor of the tomato sauce a bit better. The vinegar adds a nice tang, and the chicken broth and spices add some additional flavor. The beef, carrots, potatoes, and onions are standard for a beef stew. You may find that you like the stew better with more or less vinegar or sugar, depending on how much sweet or sour you like. You may also prefer to use beef broth over chicken broth for a beef stew, I just happen to like the flavor of chicken broth better. On the topic of broth, you may also find you need to add a bit extra to cover the beef and veggies while they cook. If this is the case, another cup or two of chicken broth won’t hurt. You may wish to switch up the veggies, or just add some others. Finally, I suggest cooking the beef as long as I do because a long cooking time in the stew gets it nice and tender. If you like your meat tougher for some reason, you can cook the meat for a shorter amount of time, possibly even cooking the veggies longer than the meat. Likewise with the veggies, they can be cooked for a shorter period of time if you prefer them with some crunch instead of soft.