1 ½ – 2 lbs cubed beef (chuck or flat iron steak)
½ cup flour
cooking spray or oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
about 1 cup diced celery
about 1 cup diced carrots
8oz sliced mushrooms (optional)
baby potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered (optional)
additional oil as needed
4-5 cups of liquid-broth, water, beer, dry red wine or tomato juice
2 tbsp Worcestorshire sauce or soy sauce
salt, pepper, seasoning to taste (I like some garlic powder and my special home made seasoning)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, grease a large Dutch oven and place the cubed beef in it, then sprinkle the flour over the top of the meat. Spray with cooking spray or drizzle about ¼ cup oil over the top, place the meat uncovered into the oven and roast about half an hour, or until the flour is beginning to brown a bit.
While meat is browning, in a large skillet heat another couple tablespoons of oil and brown the onion, celery and carrots. About the time these are nice browned, the meat should be ready too. Add the vegetables to the meat in the Dutch oven, your seasonings and Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce and add about 4 cups of your liquid of choice. Return to the oven and cook for about 30-40 minutes and then stir well, scrapping the bottom of the pan. Add the potatoes if using and then return to the oven for another 30-45 minutes and then check to see if the meat is tender. It not, return to the oven for yet another 30 minutes or so. If gravy is too thick, add more liquid until the thickness you prefer,
Serve with roasted potato wedges (if not using the potatoes in the stew), mashed potatoes, or top with drop biscuits and bake until they are done and well browned.
There is no reason that you couldn't use cubed pork or boneless chicken thighs cut into cubes.
Drop biscuits for topping stew:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda (if using buttermilk or sour cream for liquid)
½ tsp salt
½ cup melted butter
1 and ½ cup buttermilk or regular milk or sour cream mixed half and half with whole milk)
Mix the dry ingredients together, then stir in the melted butter and make sure all the flour is coated with it. Add the buttermilk and stir quickly until a very soft dough is made. With a large spoon or ice cream scoop, put the dough on top of the bubbling hot stew, then return to oven and bake until well browned and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
If you want to vary the taste of the biscuits, you can add a couple tablespoons of your favorite herbs or some garlic powder or even add some cheese--about 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and or some sharp cheddar. Mix the cheese in with the dry ingredients before adding the milk or buttermilk.
