Absolutely the Best Amish Beef Stew

Karen=^..^='s Note:

This is just what its name implies...the absolute best beef stew ever. It is wonderful in the colder weather and really warms you up. I got the basic recipe from an old Amish cookbook and tweeked it a bit. My family loves it with home baked bread, so I always make Amish White Bread, Amish White Bread to go along with it.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 -3 lbs boneless beef cubes
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 large onion , sliced
• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
• 1 dash allspice
• 1 dash clove
• 6 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks or 1 lb peeled baby carrot
• 6 potatoes , peeled and cut into chunks
• ½ cup cold water
• ¼ cup flour

Directions:

1. Melt shortening over high heat in a large pot or dutch oven.
2. Add beef cubes and brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Add onions, boiling water, salt, lemon juice, sugar, worcestershire sauce, pepper, paprika, allspice and cloves.
4. Simmer, tightly covered, for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
5. Add vegetables and simmer another 30 minutes (covered), or until tender.
6. Note: if your lid is not tight on the pot, you may not have enough liquid left to just about cover everything after you add the veggies.
7. If this is the case, add more water to barely cover ingredients.
8. Mix cold water and flour together and blend until smooth.
9. Push meat and veggies to the side of the pot and add flour mixture slowly, incorporating into liquid.
10. When gravy thickens, stir all ingredients gently to distribute gravy evenly.
11. Simmer another 5 or 10 minutes and enjoy!

Reviews

[karen in tbay]

So very basic and so comforting. We made this exact to recipe quantities and instructions except used moose meat. Don't you just hate when somebody says exact except!! Wonderful stew - not too heavy with too many combos of flavors. Almost tempted to add garlic since it seems we're putting garlic into everything but held back so we could experience the flavors as written. Will definitely make again.

[evelyn/athens]

Yummy stew, nicely spiced. Went over well with the kids. Made it in the crockpot cutting the beef and vegetables into little cubes. Cooked on high for 5 hours. Perfect.

[Piper Lee]

This was so totally yummy! I have been experimenting with stews lately and I just have not been able to get it right. I shall look no more for another recipe. This was so easy and tastes fantastic! Thanks so much for posting it. My 5 children and my husband loved it too. I had no idea that those spices would make it taste so good. Thanks to you Karen and the Amish!! Happy Eating!

Just wanted to update and let you know how much we love this recipe. It's now 2011 and we've been enjoying this as our ONLY stew recipe all these years now. It's simply the best ever!