Thank You Paula Deen

A couple of weeks ago, my husband mentioned that he wanted me to make beef stew. I am not a fan of beef stew. I am not sure why. I just have never found a stew that I particularly liked. But, the things we do for love. I decided to make him a good beef stew. Stew is something that I would consider "southern" cooking. Don't ask me why. So, I consulted the Bible of southern cooking: Paula Deen. My mom gave me her cookbook for Christmas, and I hadn't ever made any of the recipes. Maybe it's the two sticks of butter in every recipe that made me leery. However, I found a stew recipe and decided to try it.


I don't think I made it correctly. First off, I think I cooked it too high. By the time it was done cooking, there was no broth left. I wasn't able to thicken the sauce, because there WAS no sauce. Oh well, live and learn. I know what to do next time. Second, I have no idea where the onions went. It's almost like they went to the same land that your mismatched socks from the dryer go. They literally disappeared.

Don't let me lack of stew making skills scare you. This was delicious! I just wish my husband was able to eat some of it. I slaved over the stove for a better part of the day, and the poor guy has food poisoning. Normally, he would eat a lot. But tonight, he had zero, nothing. I don't think he could even stomach toast right now. Oh well, more for me!


So, I thank you Paula Deen. This beef stew recipe was lovely. You have changed my mind about hating beef stew.

Old-Time Beef Stew
from: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook


2 pounds stew beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
dash of ground allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots, sliced
4 red potatoes, quartered
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots, potatoes, and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.