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Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

November 16, 2011 by Joy the Baker 140 Comments

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Have you ever been to St Louis, Missouri?

I think it might be a magic place… I think it might also be haunted.  Like, seriously.

I’m here visiting my dearheart Rachel.  The light here is like sun shining through milkglass.  There are piles of leaves everywhere.  The houses are HUGE! and beautifully bricked, and scary, and haunted, and regal.  There’s so much beauty and pride here.  And people say hello to one another when they walk down the street.

I’m staying in a house that has a claw foot tub and a lady ghost whose giant dragging skirt can occasionally be heard going down the stairs.  I haven’t heard it yet.  I had a preemptive conversation with the lady ghost explaining that when I get spooked, I also get screamy and punchy.

Beautiful and haunted, this place.

Yea… I’m a little scared

I need stew… like, right now!

st louis

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I don’t put a lot of meat on my blog.

That’s because I have a tremendous appreciation for butter and sugar.

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As Fall pulls into full swing, I find myself wanting to cook anything and everything in my dutch oven.

Soups.  Stews.  Things that have dumplings.

It’s time.

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I paired sweet potato with stew beef to create a rich and flavorful stew.

There’s a splash of beer and Worcestershire sauce.  Carrots and onions, of course.  A good dose of tomato paste and beef broth.

It’s profoundly comforting.

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This is a pot of food stuffs that is just begging to be shared.

This is a pot of food stuffs that may be best served in over-sized bowls, with couscous or rice, a blanket, a loved one, and a scary movie.

That sounds like a really good life.

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Oh!  You should also know that I love mixing sweet potatoes in things.  Maybe you want to get into it too!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos relive summer just a little.

Sweet Potato and Kale Soup comfort town, major.

Dad’s Perfect Sweet Potato Pie if you’re thinking of making pie for the holiday… this is IT!  my dad’s family recipe plus a bonus no-roll pie crust.  amazing!

Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

makes a big pot.  serves 6.

adapted from Epicurious.com

Print this Recipe!

3/4 cup all-purpose flour with a big pinch of salt and pepper

1 1/4 pound stew beef, cut into 1-inch chunks

about 1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, coarsely diced

2 cups peeled and thickly sliced carrots

3/4 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half

6 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup light beer

1 pound sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks

4 cups beef broth (more if you’d like it more soupy)

1 bay leaf

3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1-2 tablespoons sugar

salt and pepper to taste

couscous and parsley to serve

In a large brown paper bag, place flour, salt, and pepper.  Add diced beef.  Close the bag.  Hold it tight and shake.  Open bag and make sure that all of the beef is lightly coated in flour and seasoning.  Set aside.

In a large dutch oven (or giant soup pot), heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Add as much beef as will fit along the bottom of the pan in a single layer.  Cook, browning on all sides.  The beef doesn’t need to be cooked through, just browned.  Once all of the beef is cooked, remove from the pan and place on a plate.  Set aside.

In the same dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add onions and carrots and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook for another 3 minutes.  Add tomato paste and heat through.  Deglaze the pan with the beer, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as the beer steams.

Add the sweet potatoes, and cover with beef broth.

Add bay leaf, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.  Add beef.  Turn heat to low and let gently simmer for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through,

Taste and add sugar (this helps the acidity), salt, and pepper as necessary.

Serve over couscous or rice with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Holiday, Recipes, Savory

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Michelle Sexton

    November 22, 2011 at 7:47 pm

    suddenly I am in the mood for beef stew!!! i think i need to make it this week. :)

    Reply
  2. Kim

    November 21, 2011 at 8:19 pm

    I want this cooking away on my stove right now. I wonder if they make a beef stew candle? Is that weird?

    Reply
  3. Pam

    November 20, 2011 at 5:09 pm

    Wow, you found a way to make stew interesting! i did not think it was possible.

    Reply
  4. Gen

    November 20, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    Looks perfect for Fall, such a comforting food!

    Reply
  5. Kristin

    November 19, 2011 at 9:10 pm

    We lived at Ft. Leonard-Wood (2 hours from St. Louis) back in 2009 for a few months. St. Louis was fun! I love the historical aspect of it, and, by ALL means, get yourself to the City Museum. You will not be sorry! We still talk about how great/weird/interesting it was :)

    Reply
  6. Megan

    November 19, 2011 at 2:52 pm

    LOVING your blog! I made beef stew this weekend too, I think on the exact same day! Carrots, potatoes, beer, paprika, beef, and some homemade honey bread. Mmm! I like the added spices in yours, though.
    Have fun in St. Louis. I’ve always wanted to visit there since some friends moved there and were obsessed.

    Reply
  7. Kathleen

    November 18, 2011 at 10:26 am

    Joy, I hope you get to visit City Museum while you’re in St. Louis!

    Reply
  8. Leslie

    November 18, 2011 at 7:17 am

    Made this last night and it was AMAZING! The broth is the best part! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!

    Reply
  9. Steve O.

    November 18, 2011 at 7:14 am

    Hello Joy!
    Thank you for such kind words about my (and other’s) fair city! I’m sooooo glad to see that a visitor was able to see what I see almost every day. The ‘old’ beauty of it all; brick everywhere, (mostly) smiling people who DO say ‘hi,’ the sweet smells of pork and beer wafting in the air, and yes…ghosts. Next time you’re in town…stop by for dinner! :) Beer butt chicken for EVERYONE!!

    Reply
  10. anna

    November 17, 2011 at 9:25 pm

    aw so beautiful and comforting! i love sweet potatoes. good luck with that lady ghost!

    Reply
  11. Katie

    November 17, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    I am loving sweet potatoes too… putting them in everything which drives my husband bonkers! I can’t help it though, they are SOOOOO good! There’s a pub in bellingham WA that serves a Yam Burrito. It’s a little bit of heaven and I’m going to try to recreate it soon. <3

    Reply
    • Renee

      February 18, 2012 at 11:42 am

      Boundary Bay! The best!

      Reply
  12. Jessica @ How Sweet

    November 17, 2011 at 8:00 pm

    I’m thinking this could get me married again. Beer!! Yes please.

    Reply
  13. B

    November 17, 2011 at 4:41 pm

    I hope you had some of our wonderful Provel cheese!

    Reply
  14. Erin @ Hot Dinner Happy Home

    November 17, 2011 at 3:44 pm

    I want to go home and eat Black Bean & Sweet Potato Tacos as an appetizer. Then Beef & Sweet Potato Stew for my main course. And after that I’m gonna make some whipped cream, dollop it all over my Perfect Sweet Potato Pie, and eat it strait from the dish while I watch TV. My evening will finish in a deep and perfect sweet potato coma. Send for help if you don’t hear from me by tomorrow.

    Reply
  15. Lindsay @ The Live-In Kitchen

    November 17, 2011 at 1:40 pm

    I’ve never thought of having rice or couscous with a bowl of soup. Do you mix it in or eat it on the side?

    Reply
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