Beef Stew

Beef Stew Recipe by Curt Fougere

Curt and his wife Cici are proponents of the Paleo Diet, patterned after the hunter-gatherer diet of the Paleolithic Era, and based on the assumption that the human metabolism, which retains the same genetic characteristics it had 10,000 years ago, has not had a chance to sufficiently evolve and adapt to a modern, agricultural-based diet. Consisting of meat and seafood (that can be hunted or fished rather than domestically raised and fed with grain) and those foods that can be gathered (fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.) the diet excludes foods that were unavailable prior to the Agricultural Revolution (grains, dairy, refined sugar, processed oils, etc.).

While a cursory glance at the recipes within this book reveals a preference for the Modern Era, there is one Woodman family recipe that, with a few minor tweaks, falls firmly in line with the culinary arts of prehistory’s more enlightened troglodytes. Beef stew was a dish that Curt’s grandfather Deck liked to make on occasion, and although his recipe calls for russet potatoes, which (technically) are not considered Paleo-friendly, they can be omitted or substituted with sweet potatoes, which are. As true paleo-acolytes will already know, there is also much debate about the use of salt (many say sea salt is okay) and, of course, when adhering to the diet, grass-fed stew beef should be used.

Beef Stew Ingredients

3 to 4 pounds stew beef

1 medium turnip

3 or 4 large carrots

4 medium russet potatoes (optional, or use sweet potatoes)

1 large onion

4 quarts water

Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make Beef Stew

Peel and dice all the vegetables to uniform bite-sized pieces. In a large pot add the meat, salt, and pepper, and brown over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the water and turnip, bringing to a boil over high heat, and cook for about 20 minutes. Add the potato, cook for about 15 more minutes (less for sweet potato) and then add the carrots. Simmer for about 2 hours. Serves 6 to 10.

Recipe Notes: For a richer flavor replace 1 quart of water with 1 quart of beef bouillon. Some also like to add ketchup and/or Worcestershire sauce for added flavor. If you prefer a thicker (but non-Paleo-friendly) stew, flour the stew beef before browning.

If you’ve enjoyed our beef stew recipe, make sure to check out our new cookbook for more tasty recipes!