Brown Beef Stew

This hearty, healthy stew is the perfect one-dish meal! Tender beef chunks and loads of succulent vegetables simmered together in a flavorful browning sauce packed with herbs and spices deliver a simple dish. Extraordinary is not an exaggeration!

Course Main

Cuisine Caribbean, Jamaican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 15

Servings

Calories 632kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Brown Beef

2 pounds (950g) beef, cut into big cubes (any cut will work)
1 1-inch knob ginger
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
2 green onions, diced
4 cups (950ml) water
1 tablespoon (10g) bouillon powder
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
1 teaspoon (1g) dried thyme
1 teaspoon (2g) paprika
1 teaspoon (2-3g) white pepper or black pepper

Brown Beef Stew

2 tablespoons (28ml) canola oil, or more as needed
1 medium onion, diced (about 1¼ cups)
2 teaspoons (10g) garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (2g) fresh thyme
1 teaspoon (5ml) hot sauce or chili sauce
1½ teaspoons (3g) paprika
1 teaspoon (2g) allspice
1 tablespoon (12g) brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons (5-10ml) browning sauce
2-3 tablespoons (32-48g) ketchup
2 small bell peppers, sliced (red or green)
5 medium potatoes, cubed
2 carrots, cut into chunks
1-2 cups (235-475ml) meat stock (or water)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Puree the ginger, small onion, garlic, and green onions in a blender with a small amount of water until smooth to form a paste.
Place the beef chunks in a large pot. Add the blended seasoning paste, bouillon powder, salt, pepper, dried thyme, and paprika. Mix well to coat the beef evenly.
Add 4-5 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beef is tender. That may take about 1½-2 hours (less if using a pressure cooker). Once tender, remove the meat and reserve the stock.
Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the cooked beef and sear it for 1-2 minutes (until it develops a rich brown color). Remove from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot, add the diced onion—sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion is softened and translucent.
Add the minced garlic and thyme. Stir for another minute until fragrant.
Stir in the hot sauce (or chili sauce), paprika, allspice, brown sugar, and browning sauce. Mix well to combine.
Add the ketchup, sliced bell peppers, carrots, and potatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Return the browned beef to the pot. Pour in 2 cups of the reserved meat stock and 1 cup of water. Stir to combine.
Cover the pot and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes cook through and the sauce thickens slightly.
Check the seasoning and adjust with additional salt and pepper as needed. If the stew is too thick, add more broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
Turn off the heat once the stew is ready and the flavors are well combined. Serve hot.

Notes

Browning the meat is optional. All the spices kind of hide the Maillard reaction.
Marinating the beef overnight in the refrigerator in the seasoning paste is excellent.
If the stew thickens too much during cooking, adjust the consistency with more broth or water as needed.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition