Silver Dollar City’s Miner’s Beef Stew

This stew is slow-cooked and fork tender. A favorite of the guests of the Lucky Silver Mine Restaurant in Silver Dollar City, Branson, MO.

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 1/2 lbs. boneless beef chuck steak, cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 (14-oz.) can beef broth

1/4 cup tomato puree

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cups carrots, rough chopped

1 cup celery, rough chopped

1 cup red sweet pepper, rough chopped

1 cup frozen pearl onions

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Bread soup bowls (optional)

In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook meat, half at a time, in hot oil until brown. Return all meat to Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle flour over meat mixture. Cook and stir until flour is lightly brown. Stir in broth, tomato puree and bay leaf. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or unti meat is tender. Remove and discard bay leaf.

In large saucepan, cook carrot, celery, sweet pepper and pearl onions, covered, in small amount of boiling salted water for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Stir drained vegetables, frozen peas, hot pepper sauce, thyme and pepper into meat mixture, heat through. Season to taste.

Serve beef stew in bread bowls (if desired.)

Serves 6

 P

Glorious Beef Stew

by Karin Calloway

Beef stew was company food when I was growing up. Although the hearty winter dish uses inexpensive stew beef, my mother’s version was company worthy. Based on a recipe from a neighbor, the stew contained browned beef, red wine, beef broth, carrots, onions, potatoes and green peas. The red wine, along with dried thyme and bay leaves are what took the stew from family food to company fare.

While my mother’s recipe calls for cooking on top of the stove, I’ve found that the dish can be prepared almost unattended in the oven. Butter and vegetable oil are heated in a roasting pan and the beef is added to brown in a 400 degree oven. This unattended browning of the beef is a coup for busy cooks, and only takes 15 to 20 minutes.

The oven method used for the stew makes it a snap to prepare, while maintaining the flavors of the stew of my childhood. Serve the stew as the centerpiece of a hearty winter meal with a green salad and crusty bread. The potatoes may be omitted from the recipe, and the stew served over broad egg noodles

• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 14.5-ounce can beef broth
• 4 carrots, cut 1/2 inch thick
• 2 medium onions, cut into 8 wedges
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 10-ounce package frozen green peas, thawed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place butter and vegetable oil in a large roasting pan and heat in oven until butter is melted. Season beef with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan. Brown the beef in the oven, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Stir in thyme, bay leaf, red wine and beef broth. Cover, return to oven and cook 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven again, and stir in the carrots, onions and potatoes. Return and cook 45 minutes more. When done, stir in peas to heat through, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 8 servings.