Nothing screams warmth and comfort like a bowl of hearty and rich beef stew. Better yet, served with some vermicelli rice for a delightful weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy. What makes this the best beef stew you may ask? The fact that it is so decadent with its spices, texture and flavors. The beef and vegetables are fork-tender and the broth is seasoned to perfection. Also, my husband has told me twice last week when I was developing this that it is the best beef stew he has ever had! And I have to agree with him!

Typically, the local butcher should have a section of beef stew meat, or even if you go to the supermarket to buy prepackaged, it will be there. I have found that you can also use chuck roast and cut it into cubes for beef stew. Chuck roast has nice marbling of fat in the meat, making it super tender when cooked. As for vegetables, the best are potatoes and carrots for this stew. The carrots add a nice sweetness that balances off the warm spices. The potatoes add that extra heartiness that is appreciated in this stew. So, I highly recommend using both.

One of the seasonings I used was Spice Tribe’s Smoked Paprika (Pimentón de la Vera). It offers so much flavor to this dish. Their spices are some of the best quality I have ever come across. Feel free to use my discount code: fufuskitchen10 at checkout as well. They thrive on sharing seasoning blends from all over the world with optimal freshness. I have been using their seasoning blends in my cooking for weeks now and love it.

Ingredients

Beef Prep

• 1 1/2 lbs Beef Stew Meat
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Allspice seasoning
• 1/4 tsp Padang Cassia Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp Pimentón De La Vera – Smoked Spanish Paprika
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 1/2 tbsp Spice Tribe Chili Powder

Vegetable Prep

• 1 Large Onion, chopped
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2-3 Carrots, chopped into chunks
• 2 Potatoes, chopped into chunks
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Allspice seasoning

Other Ingredients for the Stew

• 2 Bay Leaves
• 3 Cardamom Pods
• 1 Bouillion Cube, crushed
• 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch
• Vegetable or Beef Broth/Stock, enough to cover the stew components

Vermicelli Rice

• 1 Tbsp Ghee or other high smoke point oil
• 1/3 cup vermicelli
• 1 cup white rice
• Salt to taste

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Directions

1. In a pot, add the olive oil and beef on medium heat. Season with the components under beef prep. You want to achiever a nice sear on the meat. Once that is done, after a few minutes, set aside the meat onto a plate.
2. In the same pot, add another spoonful of oil. To that, add the onions and garlic. Season with the spices under the vegetable prep. Cook until fragrant and slightly transluscent for a few minutes. To this, add the meat once again. Then, add the tomato paste and bouillion cube. Stir everything together.
3. Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot at this point, along with the bay leaves and cardamom pods. Season the potatoes and carrots with salt and pepper. Cover all the components of the stew with stock of choice.
4. Bring this to a simmer. Allow to cook together for about 1.5 hours. At that point, in a small bowl, add a ladle or two of the stew broth and the cornstarch to create a slurry. Mix it well together and then add it back into the pot and stir. This will help thicken the stew the last half hour of cooking. If you like it thicker, repeat this step with a bit more cornstarch. It is really up to your preference.

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To make the vermicelli rice, in a pot, add 1 tbsp ghee along with 1/3 cup vermicelli. Let this toast a bit with the ghee. Then, add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of white rice. Season with a bit of salt. Mix together and let this come tot a boil, then simmer for about 15 mnutes until cooked through. Fluff every few minutes while cooking. enjoy this with the beef stew for a hearty meal.