We really think stew meat deserves a better name, high quality stew meat at least. That's why we call this dish Stew Meat Steak Bites. Very seldom do we actually use "stew meat" in stews. This is a great way to take a lower priced, lean cut and turn it into a mouth watering dish the whole family will love.
The flavor from the dry-aged Black Angus stew meat, coupled with this cooking technique delivers a fantastic result. Our kids are big fans of this dish. We personally like to serve it over horseradish mashed potatoes with fresh steamed green veggies.
Ingredients:
- Stew meat (Black Angus if you can), 3 pounds
- Kosher salt & fresh cracked black pepper
- Olive oil or butter, 2 tablespoons
- Better Than Bouillon - roasted beef, 1 heaping tablespoon
- Bay leaf, 1
- Dried parsley, 1 tablespoon
- Dried oregano, 1 tablespoon
- Dried garlic, 1 teaspoon
- Water, 2 cups or so
Instructions
Open your package of stew meat, drain off any juices. Let come to room temperature on paper towels. Blot the top of the stew meat with paper towels, you do not want the surface of the beef to be juicy. In a dutch oven, heat up olive oil or butter. Cut any chunks that are larger than bite-sized in half or 1/3s, this is one of those no knives needed meals. Season the steak bites with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Put one piece in the oil and if it sizzles really well, put more in, do not over crowd. I repeat DO NOT OVER CROWD THE POT. If it's over crowded the beef will steam instead of sear, searing is crucial. Once seared nice on all sides, transfer to a plate and finish searing the rest. When you're finished put the water in the hot pot and scrap all the delicious brown bits off of the bottom. Put the stew meat back in the pot, along with the rest of the ingredients. Place lit on pot and cook for 2-2.5 hours in a 325 degree oven.
This is not absolutely necessary, but I like to remove the beef from the pot and thicken the sauce, just a tad, with corn starch. Remember, you'll need to turn a burner back on to "activate" the corn starch.
Serve over a fresh spoonful of mashed potatoes. A nice roll, baguette or French bread is great to soak up the delicious sauce. Enjoy!
Cheers!