I love happy accidents. Like, say, when you’re all set on making beef stew, and have purchased all the ingredients and even begun the cooking process. And then discover that you’ve forgotten one of the key ingredients…but then the ingredient you end up swapping in makes it miles and miles better.
I’m talking about beef stew made with – yes – chicken stock. I know what you’re thinking: That will taste like chicken soup. If I wanted chicken soup, I would make chicken soup.
But it doesn’t. It tastes like beef stew, but somehow even richer and more flavorful than beef stew made with beef stock. (Apparently this is an actual, legit assessment, confirmed via Lifehacker.)
I would also like to offer the opinion that I do, in fact, make the best beef stew on the planet. What can I say: It’s a superpower.
BEEF STEW WITH CHICKEN STOCK
What You Need:
- About 2lbs stew meat (an inexpensive, tough cut that you’re supposed to cook for a long time at low heat so it gets super tender and fall apart-y)
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup baby carrots, cut in half
- 1 parsnip, cut into large pieces
- A few red potatoes, cut into large pieces
- 6 cups chicken broth
- Garlic powder
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil
What You Do:
- Heat a little olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan (one with a lid), and then cook the carrots, onion and parsnip over medium heat, stirring frequently, for a few minutes or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Remove and set aside.
- Generously season the stew meat with garlic powder and salt. In the same pan that you used to saute the vegetables, cook the beef on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until well-browned and mostly cooked through.
- Add chicken stock to the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook beef for at least three hours. If you’re in a rush, you can turn the heat up and have this ready in an hour; the beef won’t be as tender, but it’ll still be delicious.
- Add the carrots, onion, parsnip, and potatoes for the last 30 minutes of cooking. Season to taste. Test for doneness with a fork.
- Remove approximately 2 cups of the cooking broth from the pot before serving (you can totally save this for later use; it’s delicious). If the stew needs a little extra thickening, a bit of flour whisked up in warm water and added to the pan will do the trick.
Serve over rice.
