All of you. I’m so ready for sweater weather! I created this simple Slow-Cooker Hamburger Stew this week to kick off the season. This is simple comfort food that’s easy to make. This dish is simple and flexible. This is the perfect dish to simmer on the weekend while you do your chores or just relax and watch the changing seasons. 🙂
WHAT IS IN HAMBURGER STEW?
Hamburger stew is very similar in taste to traditional beef stew but is made with ground beef and not stew meat. Ground beef is less expensive than stew meat, and you still get some beef in every bite.
We also have fresh vegetables such as carrots, onions and potatoes. Beef broth, herbs, spices and a mixture of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce are all added to the mix to spice it up. This recipe is simple but gives off a subtle, slow-cooked flavour.
WHY DO YOU BROWN THE HAMBURGER EARLY?
This Hamburger Stew was made by browning the ground beef in an oven pan before adding it to the slow cooker. This was done for two reasons. The first was to get rid of some fat. I used 15% fat ground beef, and quite some fat had to be drained. (I tried this recipe without draining the fat once, which ended up way too oily). This is because the beef browns in a dry skillet environment are not possible in a slow cooker’s wet environment. This extra step will give you a little more flavour!
CAN I USE DIFFERENT VEGAS?
Yes! You can make your stews. You can skip any of the listed vegetables if you don’t enjoy them. Keep in mind that potatoes help thicken the stew, so you won’t have a soupy texture if you don’t use them. You can also use other vegetables in beef stew:
- mushrooms
- Pearl onions
- Parsnips
- Turnips
- Rutabagas
- sweet potatoes
- Winter squash (acorn butternut, pumpkin).
What are STEWED TOMATOES, you ask?
This recipe calls for making stewed tomato, a type of canned tomato that is very popular in the U.S. To give these tomatoes the slightest sweetness, they are cooked with seasonings. This stew has a unique flavour enhanced by the addition of steamed tomatoes. If stewed tomatoes don’t exist, you can substitute diced tomatoes. This will alter the taste of the stew slightly.
HOW LONG IS HAMBURGER STEW GOOD?
It is best to divide the hamburger stew into small portions so it can cool faster. Then, refrigerate it immediately. The stew will keep in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. You can transfer it to the freezer for up to 3 months. For busy nights, this stew is great to keep in your freezer. You can either heat it quickly in the microwave or simmer it in a pot over medium heat on the stove.
SLOW-COOKER HAMBURGER STEW
This simple Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew recipe is comforting and easy. The leftovers taste even better the next morning!
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lbs. russet potatoes ($1.20)
- 1/2 lb. Carrots (4 carrots) ($0.45)
- 1 yellow onion (0.32)
- 2 cloves of garlic ($0.16)
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary ($0.05
- 1/2 tsp dried Thyme ($0.05).
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 1 lb. Ground beef ($5.69)
- 1 15oz. 1 15oz. Can stewed tomatoes ($1.00).
- 2 cups beef broth (0.26)
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.02)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.06)
- 1 cup frozen peas (0.60)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. The carrots can be sliced and peeled. Chop the onion and mince garlic. In a slow cooker (at least 4 quarts), combine the onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary and thyme.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Drain off any excess fat. The browned and drained beef should be added to the slow cooker with the can of stewed tomato (with juices). Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce to your slow cooker.
- Give the slow cooker a quick stir to combine all the ingredients. The broth may not cover all the ingredients. Cover the slow cooker with a lid and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
- Cook the stew on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Once the stew is cooked, could you take off the lid and stir it? The potatoes can be slightly mashed with a fork using a spoon. This will thicken the stew.
- Stir the frozen peas into the stew. Add salt to taste. (I didn’t add any salt, it will depend on how salty your beef broth is). Serve warm with bread for dipping.
NUTRITION
1.5 cups Calories: 348.27 Kcal Carbohydrates are 41.42 g Protein is 20.15 G Fat: 11.83g Sodium: 751.72mg Fiber: 5.07g
