Beef and Potato Stew (Ukrainian)
This inspired Ukrainian Beef and Potato Stew is budget-friendly, satisfyingly tasty and will fill up the family. Too easy and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 kg chuck steak (cut into large bite-sized cubes) (NOTE 1)
- salt and pepper to season
- 2 tbsp olive oil (mild or light)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 4 cups salt-reduced beef stock (or beef broth) (NOTE 2)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 beef stock cube (or 1 tsp of beef stock powder)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 kg potatoes (peeled and cut into large bite-sized pieces) (NOTE 3)
- ⅓ cup thickened cream (whipped cream) (NOTE 4)
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch (or cornflour)
Instructions
- Lightly season the steak with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. If using a dutch oven/cast-iron pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Sear the sides of the steak until brown and a nice crust forms. You may have to do this in a few batches. Once done, return all the beef back into the pan.
- Add the garlic and onion into the saucepan with the beef and quickly stir-fry for a minute, then pour in the beef stock. Add in tomato paste, paprika, stock cube, bay leaves, salt and pepper, then give it a mix. Bring the mixture to a boil, then place the lid on. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes untouched.
- Place the potatoes into the stew, making sure they're mostly covered by the broth. Cook covered for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes and steak are tender. Do a test by removing a piece of beef and potato onto a small plate. If the fork pokes through the potatoes easily and the beef shreds effortlessly, it's ready.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and cornstarch together, then pour it into the stew. Stir the stew gently to combine, then cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until the stew has thickened. Have a taste of the stew and add more salt or pepper if needed.
Notes
(NOTE 1) Steak - I used budget-friendly chuck steak that I've chopped into large bite-sized chunks. Other great steaks to use for slow cooking includes skirt, round, blade and topside.
(NOTE 2) Beef stock/broth - I prefer using salt-reduced beef stock because I have more control over the sodium level in my cooking. It's always better to be under-seasoned than over-seasoned as it's easier to fix.
(NOTE 3) Potatoes - Waxy potatoes work best because they'll keep their shape during the long cooking process. Kipfler, Russet, Yukon Gold, all-purpose and low GI potatoes are great for stews.
(NOTE 4) Thickened cream (whipping cream) has gelatine added to it and contains 35% milk fat. Low fat cream would also work, but the gravy sauce won't be as rich and thick.
Leftovers - Allow the stew to cool completely at room temperature. Transfer the stew into a sealed container and refrigerate. It'll be good for up to 5 days. Frozen stew will keep for up to 3 months.
A Third-Party Application calculated the calories and nutritional information. Please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 488kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 39gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 817mgPotassium: 1698mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 554IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 5mg