CHEF SAMBRANO: ONE POT GROUND BEEF STEW

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

ONE POT GROUND BEEF STEW

For my friends who are single and want to learn how to cook a simple meal, maybe you're a single parent, or a student in school. This is an easy Ground Beef Stew that you can make, and this can serve up to 4 people, 4 hungry people or have left overs for later on in the week.

All you'll need is a medium size pot, large enough to fit 2 pounds of ground beef, maybe an 8 quart pot.

The tools you'll need is a small 6 inch kitchen or chef's knife, a slotted spoon, a cutting board, and a can opener.

Here's what you'll need to do, first take your pot, and put about 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil in there, and place it over your stoves burner over low heat for now, got that?

Next, take the ground beef, and break it apart in a mixing bowl, and season it with a little salt and pepper. It's always a good idea to season your proteins before you cook them.

You'll also need 2 cans of tomato sauce low sodium kind. Open it with your can opener. Good.

Now you'll need some garlic, take about 4 cloves, remove the skin by running it under some water and peel it off, then taking your chef's knife smash it. Turn the knife sideways flat, place the flat side of blade on to a clove and using your palm, press down. Now toss that garlic into the pan, it shouldn't sizzle but get it going.

You'll need some onions about 1 large one, remove the skin, and chop it up, first slice it down the center making two halves, then using your knife just make some chops to it.

You'll need some potatoes, get about 3 large ones some russets does well, peel them and cut them into about 2 inch cubes.

Now turn up the heat of the stove to medium high, the garlic will sizzle, now toss the ground beef in there, and it will sizzle more, using your slotted spoon toss the beef around to cook the whole thing, making it brown, and the fats will melt and the beef's natural juices will flow out. Leave that in, it is flavor.

Now add in the chopped onions, and the tomato sauce, bring up the heat and let it boil for a few seconds, then turn it down to a simmer, add potatoes, and cover the pot and cook for about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread or rice.