Mom's Beef Stew
Taste of Home
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This warming, stick-to-your-ribs main dish was one Mom relied on often to feed us 13 kids. Mildly seasoned with lots of satisfying ingredients like barley, potatoes and carrots in a tomato-beef broth, it still hits the spot on cold winter days. -Lucile H. Proctor, Panguitch, Utah
SERVINGS: 10
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD: Stovetop - One-Dish
TIME: Prep: 40 min. Cook: 2 hours, 50 min.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds meaty beef soup bones (beef shanks or short ribs)
- 6 cups water
- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 5 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup medium pearl barley
- 1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, undrained
- 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced, optional
- 1 bay leaf, optional
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup cold water
Directions:
Place soup bones and water in a Dutch oven or soup kettle. Slowly bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours.
Set beef bones aside until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones; discard bones and return meat to broth. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, barley, tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic and bay leaf if desired. Cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes or until vegetables and barley are tender.
Discard bay leaf. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into stew. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Yield: 10 servings.