Homestyle Mulligan Beef Stew

My nana is 70 years old. She made this stew the other day and said it was the best she’s ever had!

Homestyle Mulligan Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2 lbs (about 900g) beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups beef broth

2 cups water

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)

Instructions:

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the beef stew meat to the pot. Brown the meat on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.

Once the meat is browned, add the beef broth and water to the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the diced tomatoes (with their juices), tomato paste, bay leaves, dried thyme, salt, and pepper.

Bring the stew to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the stew simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender.

After the meat has cooked for about 1 hour, add the sliced carrots, cubed potatoes, and sliced celery to the pot. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes.

In the last 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the frozen peas and corn. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.