Beef & Mushroom Stew

A classic recipe for beef and mushroom stew. On the table and flavorful within an hour, better still the next day. This is a great way to make a small amount of beef go further, with the addition of thick slices of firm, almost-meaty mushrooms.

Beef & Mushroom Stew ~ classic recipe, flavor-packed gravy, great texture ~ Weight Watchers PointsPlus 6 ~ KitchenParade.com

Butchers of the world, listen up, please! Meat is way too confusing!

It’s no wonder we cooks turn to what we know again and again. Think chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, baby back ribs, even hamburger. Now these are easy: they are easily recognized in the meat cooler and we know how to cook them.

But what’s all that other stuff?

I once condensed a primer on pork cuts – and still have no idea what to buy, especially since the names vary. Who would guess that a pork butt is just another Boston shoulder? Have you ever seen a hog with a butt for a shoulder? Not me.

And my eyes glaze over at the thought of cutting up a whole chicken, even though all “real” cooks say it’s easy and economical. The search engine Google cites 14,000 web pages that explain how. Do you suppose that’s more pages than people who actually do it?

But here’s one I’ve figured out – add it to the “easy” list. For pot roast or any stew where the meat cooks a long time, or a shorter time braised in liquid, look for beef labeled “chuck roast”.

Here’s a little memory tip, just think: “Let’s invite Chuck over for Sunday pot roast.”

Got it? Easy, right?! And Chuck will love-love-love the BEEF & MUSHROOM STEW.

ALANNA's TIPS Pre-packaged stew meat can come from any part of a cow and is often grained with fat that’s difficult to remove. For a leaner cut, purchase about a pound and a half of chuck roast. Allow an extra 15 minutes to cut the meat into chunks, discarding slices of fat and connective tissue.

I like to "show and tell" ingredients so cut the mushrooms in thick, hearty and obvious slices. But if you want to make the mushrooms disappear, appearance-wise? Just chop them into fine bits. No one will know they're even there.

BEEF & MUSHROOM STEW

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Time to table: 60 minutes
Makes 7 cups

1 pound (450g) beef stew meat (or 1-1/2 pounds chuck roast, see TIP)
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
16 ounces (450g) sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 cup red wine (or additional broth)
15 ounces canned diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper (especially) to taste

Heat a Dutch oven on medium high. As it heats, cut the meat into one-inch chunks, tossing them into the pot as they're prepped, stir occasionally. Prep the onions and garlic, add them to the pot as they're prepped, stir occasionally.

When meat is partially browned, add mushrooms and stir occasionally until mushrooms begin to soften. Sprinkle with top with flour, then stir in salt, pepper, basil and thyme until evenly distributed. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, about three minutes, until mixture thickens slightly. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Let simmer, uncovered, about 40 minutes or until meat is tender. The stew is especially good when made a day ahead of time and rewarmed.

Season to taste and serve over Delicious Microwave Sweet Potatoes (my favorite) or Rustic Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Carrots or even cornbread or Microwave Green Chili Cheese Grits.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per cup: 225 Calories; 12g Tot Fat; 12g Carb; 2g Fiber; 622mg Sodium; 43mg Cholesterol; 16g Protein.

WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 5 & PointsPlus 6

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences.

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Good Cooks Know That Size Matters.

The meat pieces will shrink so consider that when cutting the meat up since some people (Her?) like small, bite-size pieces for spooning and others (definitely Him) prefer big pieces that need a knife and fork.