Try this Poor Man's Stew recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 0.176268169665619 g
- Cholesterol 61.68856232 mg
- Fat 13.6304301897108 g
- Fiber 0.102938235502343 g
- Protein 16.8943109607956 g
- Saturated Fat 5.32750478803662 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (322g)
- Sodium 63.7283210482858 mg
- Sugar 0.0733299341632757 g
- Trans Fat 1.95121522651818 g
- Calories 196 calories
Step-by-step
- Add the cooked ground beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic to a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.
- In a small bowl whisk together the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, onion powder and oregano. Pour this mixture over everything in the slow cooker. Stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Serve with buttered sandwich bread.
- ENJOY!
Ingredient lists rarely account for thermal mass. While the recipe calls simply for combining ingredients in a slow cooker, raw root vegetables require specific placement to soften properly. Historic versions of this dish relied on cast iron pots over hearths, utilizing cheap cuts of meat and whatever root vegetables survived the cellar. Today, the slow cooker manages the heat distribution safely.
Browning and Fat Management
Drain browned ground beef through a fine-mesh strainer before adding it to the crock. Excess rendered grease breaks the tomato emulsion during long cooking cycles. Use 85/15 ground chuck for enough fat retention to keep the meat tender without oiling the surface of the broth.
Sizing the Vegetables
Dice potatoes to uniform 1.5-inch chunks. Smaller pieces disintegrate into mush over six hours on low heat. Carrots should be sliced diagonally into half-inch ovals to maximize surface area absorption while maintaining structural integrity.
Moisture Distribution
Whisk the tomato paste and water completely smooth in a separate bowl before pouring over the solids. Tomato paste contains natural pectins that thicken the surrounding liquid as moisture reduces. Keep the lid closed for the entire six-hour window to maintain consistent internal steam pressure.
