We love beef stew in the fall, especially on a cool, rainy autumn night. There is something hearty, nourishing and warming about a nice, steaming mug of stew.
It took me awhile to find a ‘go to' recipe for stew. I tried so many different recipes out there but never really loved any of them.
Then, I stumbled upon a recipe for Beef Stew with Paprika and Beer and WOW! After I swapped out some of the ingredients for more nourishing ones, such as bone broth instead of bouillon cubes, it became our family favorite.
However, I am rarely satisfied with keeping a recipe as is. So, over time, I have added a little bit of this and a little bit of that to make the stew even better and, more importantly, more nourishing and healthy for my family's bodies!
What did I add to make this beef stew a nutritional powerhouse? I added ghee, bone broth, fat from broth, switched the beer out for red wine, added kombu seaweed, nutritional yeast, pumpkin, kale, thyme, paprika and turmeric. This dish is deliciously HEARTY!
You can change this recipe up as you like, adding more or less seasoning, changing out some of the vegetables depending on what is in season and what you have in your fridge! You can leave out some of the ‘odd ingredients', the kombu, nutritional yeast, etc. but these do take the stew over the top as far as nutrition!
I encourage you to take this stew and make it your own, all the while, nourishing your family on a cold autumn night!
I usually pair the stew with a crisp green salad and whole wheat biscuits, corn bread or a fresh sourdough baguette.
- 4 tbsp organic ghee, butter or fat from bone broth
- 2 pounds stew meat, pastured preferred
- 1 whole onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 cups red wine (or additional bone broth)
- 1 cup water or bone broth
- 2 tsp organic worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 tsp sucanat or good sugar
- 4 carrots, washed and diced
- 4-6 whole new potatoes, quartered
- 1 to 2 cups pureed pumpkin (or other winter squash)
- 1 bunch kale, destemmed and roughly chopped
- 1/2 bag frozen organic peas
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 nutritional yeast (optional)
- minced parsley (optional)
- 1 stick kombu (optional)
- 1 tsp turmeric (optional)
- In a soup pot or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp of ghee/fat.
- Add stew meat and brown.
- Remove stew meat from pot and reserve in a bowl. Cut larger pieces in half, if needed.
- Add the remaining 2 tbsp of ghee/fat, and saute onions and garlic for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
- Pour in bone broth and wine.
- Add worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, spices, salt, pepper, kombu (if using) and sugar.
- Add beef back to pot and stir.
- Bring to a simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, covered.
- If it gets too thick, use extra bone broth or water to thin.
- Add carrots, potatoes, pumpkin and kale and simmer for 30 more minutes.
- At the end, add the peas, minced parsley and nutritional yeast (if using).
- Remove kombu and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and enjoy!
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3 Comments on “Autumn Beef Stew with Pumpkin”
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Can’t wait to make this! When do you add the pumpkin?
Thanks.
Fixed it! Thanks!