Here is a big, hearty and sweet beef pot that will warm the cockles of any heart. You can cook it in a traditional potjie over coals if you wish. It is a perfect way to feed many in a relatively economical way. The addition of the nutmeg and cinnamon may seem strange in a stew, but these spices have a delicious warming effect, perfect for cooler and chilly days. And the bonus is, although warming, it does not sting so it’s totally kiddy-friendly.
Sweet & Rustic Beef Pot
Course: Main6 – 8
servingsIngredients
Olive oil
1 Large onion, finely chopped
1 Large carrot, coarsely grated
4 Celery stalks, finely chopped
1 Large red pepper, finely chopped
4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1,2 kg Beef chuck, cubed (or any kind of stewing beef)
2 Large tomatoes, skinned and chopped
2 Packets hearty beef stew cook-in sauce
800 ml Cold water
500 g Butternut, peeled and cut in 3-cm cubes
10 ml Ground nutmeg
10 ml Ground cinnamon
250 g Baby carrots
500 g Sweet potato, peeled and cut in 3-cm cubes
45 ml Rosemary, finely chopped
Freshly-milled black pepper, to taste
65 ml Parsley, coarsely chopped
Directions
- Heat a little olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, carrots and celery. Toss until glossy then add the red pepper and garlic. Sauté until soft, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the pan and brown the meat in batches. Return the meat and sautéed vegetables to the pan, together with the chopped tomatoes.
- Whisk the sauce powder into the water and pour over the meat mixture. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer on a very low heat for about 90 minutes or until the meat is quite tender.
- Add the butternut, baby carrots, nutmeg and cinnamon and cook for 5 more minutes. Now add the sweet potatoes and rosemary, season to taste and stir through.
- Continue to cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked and tender. If the stew is too saucy for your liking, remove the lid, increase the heat and allow to cook rapidly for a few minutes until reduced to your liking – make sure to stir it often, it could easily burn!
- Remove from the heat and skim off any surface fat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with Basmati rice (or crusty bread rolls) and a simple green salad.
Serves 6 – 8.
Chef’s Hint
- For the meat, we really recommend chuck with the bone in. We think this cut of beef has just the right amount of fat and connective tissue to produce a flavoursome, juicy, tender stew. Simply cut the meat into cubes, but do not discard the bones. Cook them in the stew for great flavour. If you don’t like to serve the bones, then simply remove and discard them before serving.
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