Chuckwagon Stew

Years ago I came upon a chuck-wagon cookbook.  Actually it was a cook booklet.  Anyway, the book was full of picture of old cowboys cooking in the great outdoors some pretty amazing food.  Below is our favorite recipe from the booklet.  It's so good in cold wintery night, not to mention warm summer evenings J

  • 2 ½ lbs. beef cubes (5 cups)
  • 2 tbsp. flour
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 sliced onions
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 28 oz. can tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • ½ to 1 tsp dry crushed red peppers
  • 2 cups chopped potatoes
  • 2 cups chopped carrots

Coat beef in mixture of flour, paprika, I tsp chili powder and salt.  Brown in hot fat in a large Dutch oven.  Add onion and garlic and cook until soft.  Then add tomatoes, chili, cinnamon, cloves and peppers.  Cover and simmer 2 hours.  Add potatoes and carrots and cook for another 45 minutes.

Pair with a hearty red wine (I like any Australian McLaren Vale Shiraz or California Zinfandel, especially Bogle old vines).  A nice green salad in lemon and olive oil dressing and a crusty dark bread are perfect companions to this dish.  Anything chocolate with complete the meal.