Our Southern Odyssey’s Grain-Free Beef Stew is absolutely delicious. It is rich, warm, flavorful, and pairs perfectly well with fresh grated coleslaw as well as our Grain-Free Southern Cornbread. Our Grain-Free Beef Stew really is the best mouth-watering, full-bodied comfort food to have on hand to eat on cool days. For our stew we really focus in on the vegetables and we are not shy when using them. We wanted our Grain-Free Beef Stew to be hearty and I think that we did just that. Another positive note about our beef stew is that it is wonderful to reheat and serve the next day. The stew can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
The vegetables that we use are all organic. The onions, garlic and ginger root add amazing fresh flavor to the stew. We use yellow onions in the stew because they are an all purpose onion as well as a cooking onion. The yellow onions are very pungent when raw. However, the yellow onions caramelize well and become sweet when cooked. It is their sweetness that enhances the stew perfectly. When choosing a perfect yellow onion look for an onion that is firm.
Ginger root is a very popular ingredient in cooking and we can vouch for that. We find so many uses for ginger root in our home that we always have several pieces of the root in our refrigerator. When choosing ginger root from the grocery store the texture and weight of the root is very important. The root must be firm not wrinkly and dense so that the weight of the root can be felt when the root is held in ones hand. The root should also have a light tan outer skin that is undamaged except for the ends that have scabbed over where the root was broken off from the larger root. The ginger needs to be peeled and then minced before adding it to the pot with the onions.
We love garlic and the way the garlic flavors the stew is amazing. The stew recipe calls for an entire head of garlic. It seems like a lot of garlic; however, with all the other added ingredients it really is not that much. There will not be an overpowering garlicky flavor to the stew. When choosing the perfect garlic head try to find one that is firm and is heavy. Also the outer color should be white without purple streaks. If the garlic has purple streaks then the garlic head is old. The garlic should be minced well, that way it will blend better within the stew.
When choosing carrots to use in the Grain-Free Beef Stew one can use traditional orange carrots or to give the stew more color one could use rainbow carrots. The interesting thing about rainbow carrots are that they contain different nutrients. Some examples of the colors of rainbow carrots are: purple, white, orange, red, and yellow. The purple carrots have a sweetness to them and the yellow carrots have a mild flavor of sweetness. Traditional orange carrots are acceptable to use. However, if we were making this stew for guest we would make it a little fancy by adding the rainbow carrots.
Instead of using potatoes, which are nightshades, we have replaced them with white sweet potatoes which are from the morning glory family. White sweet potatoes are not as sweet as traditional orange sweet potatoes or yams. White sweet potatoes have a tan skin with a white flesh. They have a mild flavor and they go well in stews. There are two main types of white sweet potatoes that are somewhat easier to find here: the Hannah, which has a light tan skin with a light yellow flesh and the White Hamon, which has a light tan skin with a creamy white flesh. Farmers markets in the Southern USA usually starts to have white sweet potatoes in the fall of the year around October.
The meat that we use in our Grain-Free Beef Stew is organic grass-fed sirloin steak. We take the steak and cut it into cubes, cook it separate from the vegetables, and then after the cubes of meat are done they are added to the vegetables in the large pot to get tender. Grass-fed beef is a leaner meat with a delicious flavor. The meat is, also, more nutrient rich and becomes extremely tender.
Again grass-fed beef is our preference when we cook. The beef does not have to be organic if you know the practices of the farm that the meat is purchased from. Some farms have extremely high standards that equal or exceed the government regulations for organic. They are just not certified organic. So some words of advice are, know the farm and farmer. Understand how the animal was raised and the practices of the farm. What are the farms values? Do they use herbicides, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers?
When making the gravy we use banana flour, olive oil, pink Himalayan salt, Tellicherry black pepper and fond from the drippings of the sirloin steak. This gravy that is made to go into the stew is packed full of flavor. The gravy helps the stew to thicken as well as have a creamy consistency.
We use banana flour because it is naturally gluten and grain-free. Banana flour is made from green bananas. Don’t worry, banana flour taste nothing like bananas. It really does not have much flavor at all. Therefore, it is great to use. Banana flour is naturally light brown in color. So making a brown gravy is super easy.
In a cast iron skillet we mix the banana flour with an all purpose high quality organic olive oil. Olive oil is extremely rich in flavor and it does well in cooking. The oil is yellow in color and rich in antioxidants. We love cooking with a good olive oil; because, it really adds so much to what we are making.
We like to use pink Himalayan salt when we cook. The pink salt has a gentle flavor and it does not overpower the stew with a salty taste. Pink Himalayan salt is unrefined and it is mined by hand from pure salt deposits of an ancient sea. It is the mineral content that gives the salt its wonderful flavor and color.
Tellicherry peppercorns from India are considered some of the finest peppercorns in the world. A rule of thumb is that the darker the peppercorns the more flavorful they are. Black pepper is one of the most used spices in the world. That does not surprise me in the least. We go through black pepper at record speeds in our home. Black pepper has such a mild flavor that is a positive addition to any recipe. Black pepper adds the perfect flavor to the gravy that is then added to the stew.
The dripping of the steak that was cooked in the cast iron skillet are the brown bits that are stuck to or that are in the bottom of the skillet. The correct term for the brown bits is fond. Fond is made up of tiny pieces of meat and seasoning that fall off the meat into the skillet. Fonds flavor is extremely condensed and it should be cherished, like it was gold. It really elevates the flavor of a dish.
Another important tip when making our Grain-Free Beef Stew is the power of a low heat. Allowing the stew time to simmer before consuming it gives all the flavors time to blend together to create their own perfect flavor. So after all the vegetables, meat and gravy are added and stirred together, allow the stew time to simmer. Time is important here, allow thirty minutes to simmer before serving.
Instructions:
How to prepare and cook the vegetables for the stew.
To start with place the large pot on the eye (burner) and coat the bottom (inside) of the pot with organic olive oil. Do not turn the eye (burner) on. Now take out the cutting board and chef knife and peel and chop the onion. Do not chop the onion very small use the step-by-step guide as a visual. Place the chopped onion in the large pot. Turn the eye (burner) on medium low heat. Occasionally the onions will need to be tossed so they will not stick to the bottom. Now take and peel the entire head of garlic and mince the garlic very fine. Add the garlic to the large pot with the onions. Mix the onions and the garlic together. Peel and mince the ginger, also, very fine. Add the ginger to the large pot with the onion and garlic. Again do not forget to randomly stir the ingredients as they cook.
Next peel and wash the carrots. Slice the carrots into rounds and add the carrots to the large pot. Mix the carrots with the other ingredients. Now take and wash the white sweet potatoes. Take and peel the outer skin off the white sweet potatoes. Cut the potato into rounds then take and quarter the rounds. Therefore, each round should equal four cubes. Add the white sweet potato cubes to the large pot with the onions, garlic, ginger and carrots. Mix all the ingredients together. Now take and add enough filtered water to cover the vegetables in the pot. This will keep the potatoes from turning dark. For the last vegetable that we will add to the stew, take and wash and slice the celery into half moons. Again do not slice the celery too thin. Use the step-by-step guide as a visual for how to chop the celery. After the celery is chopped add the celery to the large pot and mix everything together.
How to prepare and cook the meat for the stew.
As the vegetables are tenderizing take and prepare the cast iron skillet for cooking the meat that will be added to the stew. Take and remove the meat from the refrigerator and remove the meat from the packaging. Cut the steaks into cubes and remove any gristle that is seen on the meat. Salt and pepper the steaks on one side then turn the steaks over and salt and pepper the other side. We use pink Himalayan salt and Tellicherry black pepper.
Place the cast iron skillet on the burner and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Turn the burner on medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the steak cubes to the skillet and cook for five minutes on one side then turn the pieces over and cook for another five minutes. Continue adding more steak cubes to the cast iron skillet, after the steak that has cooked has been removed, until all the steak cubes have been cooked. After all the steak cubes have been cooked take and turn the eye (burner) off that the cast iron skillet is on.
Add the cooked steak cubes to the large pot with the vegetables. Increase the temperature to high until the mixture comes to a boil. After the stew has come to a boil take and reduce the heat to medium low and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the meat and the vegetables to simmer for thirty minutes or until the meat and the vegetables are tender.
How to prepare and cook the gravy for the stew.
From the skillet take and pour the drippings into a glass measuring cup. Make sure that none of the oil runs down the outside of the skillet. If this happens take a paper towel and wipe the outside of the skillet off before placing it back on the eye (burner). Remember that the cast iron skillet is extremely hot, so be careful. Finish filling the measuring cup with water to make one full cup or 240 ml of liquid. Refer to the step-by-step guide if needed. Add one half cup or 91 ml of olive oil to the cast iron skillet and turn the eye (burner) on medium heat.
Now add half a cup or 78 ml of banana flour to the oil in the skillet and mix with a spatula for one minute. Add the pink Himalayan salt and fresh ground black pepper to the flour in the skillet. Always stir. Now add the water with the dripping that was measured out earlier to the seasoned flour mixture and mix well with a spatula or whisk. As soon as the gravy starts to become thick take and turn the eye (burner) off and add the gravy to the large pot with the vegetables and meat. Mix all the ingredients well within the pot. Continue to simmer the stew until the thirty minutes are up. This will allow the flavors to blend together.
Do not forget to stir the stew frequently after the gravy is added while the stew continues to cook. Because, the gravy will cause the stew to thicken and we do not want anything sticking to the bottom of the pot. And that is all it take to make an amazing mouth-watering Grain-Free Beef Stew. We hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Let us know when you try the Grain-Free Beef Stew in the comment section below.
Grain-Free Beef Stew
October 20, 2018
Our Grain-Free Beef Stew really is the best mouth-watering, full-bodied comfort food to have on hand to eat on cool days. For our stew we really focus in on the vegetables and we are not shy when using them. We wanted our Grain-Free Beef Stew to be hearty and I think that we did just that.
As a main course this recipe serves 8 people. As an appetizer the stew will serve 16 people. This recipe makes a total of 16 cups.
Persons
8
Notes
What you will need:
Cutting board for vegetables,
Cutting board for meat,
Large Pot with lid,
Cast Iron Skillet,
Glass Measuring Cup,
Measuring Cups,
Measuring Spoons,
Vegetable peeler,
Chef Knife,
Steak Knife,
Spatula,
Ladle,
Whisk (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 (9 oz. or 266.16 ml) - Organic Grass-fed Sirloin Steaks - cut in cubes - salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup or 91 ml - Organic Olive Oil
- 2 large organic onions chopped - about 4 cups or 592 ml
- whole head of organic garlic minced- about 1/3 cup or 70 ml
- 2 inched of organic ginger root minced - about 1/4 cup or 50 ml
- 8 organic carrots sliced - about 5 cups or 800 ml
- 3 organic white sweet potatoes cubed - about 7 cups or 980 ml
- 6 organic celery stalks sliced - about 2 cups or 234 ml
- 5 cups or 1200 ml of spring or filtered water or enough to cover vegetables
- 1 Tablespoon or 15 ml Himalayan Pink Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon or 2.5 ml Tellicherry fresh ground black pepper
- Gravy Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup or 91 ml Organic Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup or 78 ml Organic Banana Flour
- Dripping from steaks and enough water to make one cup or 240 ml of liquid
- Pink Himalayan Salt
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- First prepare all the vegetables
- Place the large pot on the burner
- Pour the olive oil in the pot
- Peel and chop the onion into cubes
- Add the onions to the pot
- Turn the burner on medium low heat (3)
- Remember to mix the onions and other vegetable as you add them to the pot
- Peel the entire head of garlic and mince
- Add to the onions in the pot
- Peel and mince the ginger
- Add to the pot
- Peel the carrots, wash, and slice into rounds
- Add the carrots to the other ingredients in the pot
- Wash and peel the white sweet potatoes
- Cut the white sweet potatoes into rounds then cut the rounds in forth which creates cubes.
- Add the white sweet potatoes to the pot
- Add the water to cover the vegetable now so the potatoes will not turn dark
- Wash and slice the celery into half moons
- Add the celery to the pot
- Add the pink Himalayan salt and pepper to the pot
- Second prepare the steaks
- Remove steaks from refrigerator and packaging
- Cut steaks into cubes removing any tough gristle
- Salt and pepper the steaks on one side then turn over and salt and pepper the other side.
- Place cast iron skillet on burner add olive oil
- Turn burner on medium heat
- When skillet is hot add the steak cubes and cook for 5 minutes on one side then turn the pieces over and cook for 5 more minutes, continue this until all the steak has been cooked
- Add the steak to the vegetables and increase the temperature to high until the mixture comes to a boil
- Reduce the temperature to medium low, cover with the lid and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Third prepare the gravy
- Pour the dripping from the steak in the skillet into a glass measuring cup
- Finish filling up the measuring cup with the drippings with water to make one full cup of liquid
- Place the cast iron skillet on the burner
- Add 1/2 cup or 91 ml of olive oil to the skillet and turn the burner on medium heat
- Add 1/2 cup or 78 ml of banana flour to the oil and mix with the spatula for one minute
- Add salt and pepper to the flour mixture continue to stir
- Add the dripping and water to the seasoned flour mixture and mix well with the spatula or whisk
- Pour gravy into the large pot with the vegetable and meat
- Continue to simmer the stew until the 30 minutes are up
- Do not forget to stir this stew frequently while it is simmering
- Enjoy!
© 2024 This recipe is provided by Our Southern Odyssey
