Warm up with vegetable 'stew'

Nothing tastes better on a chilly fall day than a big bowl of homemade vegetable beef stew. Add a slice or two of home-baked bread and you've achieved perfection.

Nothing controversial about that, right?

Well, it depends on your definition of stew.

Growing up, my mom made her delicious vegetable beef stew at least once or twice every fall/winter. I remember it simmering on the stove for hours in her big blue-speckled GraniteWare pot she used for canning every summer.

We counted down the hours until it was done. We weren't disappointed. And there was always enough for leftovers and perhaps, some to put in the freezer for later.

I thought Mom's way was everyone's way.

So I was in for a rude awakening when a post-college roommate offered to make stew one day when I had to work and she had the day off. I came home from work expecting to find the apartment filled with the aroma of simmering stew and looking forward to leftovers for several days.

That's not what I found.

She'd made stew in a 3-quart Crockpot and it in no way resembled what Mom used to make. Just meat, potatoes and carrots (there might have been some onion involved) in a thick liquid flavored with bay leaves and assorted other herbs and spices.

I tried hard to hide my disappointment and eat what she had prepared. I admit I probably didn't give it a fair shot and it was probably much better than I remember.

It was just not what I expected. Granted it was officially vegetable beef stew, but the main problem is that I do not like thickeners in any kind of soup, stew or whatever you want to call it. Not chili, not ham and beans, and definitely not in beef "stew." I'm a "brothy" kind of gal and the more the better.

And I didn't expect the herbs and spices. My mom didn't use a lot of them in her cooking so I was just caught off guard.

So what's the difference between soup and stew?

According to Caroline Stanko with Taste of Home, the main difference between soup and stews is the amount of liquid they contain. While soups contain enough cooking liquid to fill a bowl and allow its ingredients to float, stews contain just a bit cooking liquid to simmer the other ingredients.

Soup, loosely, Stanko says, "is a liquid-based dish where ingredients like vegetables, meats or legumes (or any combination of the three) are boiled in water, stock or broth to meld and enhance the dish's favors. There are many types of soups, from creamy chowder to pureed butternut squash, but the main characteristic of soup is that there's a lot of liquid. You know you have soup if it has to be eaten with a spoon and served in a bowl or cup.

"Stew is a dish where larger pieces of meat and vegetables are partially covered, but not floating, in a cooking liquid and then simmered until the ingredients are tender and the liquid has thickened. The cooking liquid can be broth or stock, like a soup, or something richer like wine, beer or tomato juice."

So, while my stew contains large chunks of meat and vegetables and the ratio of broth to other ingredients falls somewhere in the middle between "soup" and "stew," I'm still going with "stew." If it was good enough for mom, it's good enough for me.

*****

This is how I make vegetable beef stew. It's pretty much how Mom used to make it, except she added extra tomato juice and I prefer a broth that's not quite so "tomatoey."

A couple of other notes: This recipe makes a huge batch; I have no idea how to make a small one! It will easily fill a 16-quart stockpot to the brim. Speaking of stockpots, make sure you use one of good quality. I tried to make stew in a cheaper one a couple of times and it burned and stuck, making an inedible mess. Eventually I invested in a good quality stainless steel model with an aluminum bottom. It cost me almost $80 10 or 12 years ago and, although I only use it once or twice a year, it was worth the investment. I can cook the stew on high for three to four hours and it never burns or sticks.

While I suppose you could add other ingredients (Mom never used corn or peas and I don't either, but I guess they could be added if you want to), the cabbage is absolutely necessary. Even if you don't think you like cabbage, do not leave it out. It is what gives this stew it's flavor. You really don't taste the cabbage itself, but you need it. Trust me.

Same with the celery leaves. If I buy a bunch of celery during the year, I'll freeze the leaves to use in the stew. Just spread them out on a cookie sheet or other baking pan, pop them in the freezer and, when they are frozen, place them in a plastic freezer bag. Yes, they will be mushy when you thaw them out, but you're using them in soup, so it doesn't matter.

When the stew is done, be sure to divide it into smaller containers and let set on the counter for a couple of hours (no longer) to cool, then refrigerate the leftovers. Don't even think about putting that entire pot in the fridge. Not only will the stew in the center of the pot still be hot the next day (and not safe to eat), it will also lower the temperature of the rest of the fridge contents and risk the safety of those items as well.

This stew freezes well. Sometimes, the potatoes will be a little mushy when thawed and reheated, but it's not a deterrent. I use quart freezer containers, but freezer bags also work. Be sure to freeze leftovers within three or four days.

Mom's Vegetable Beef Stew

2 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch chunks

4 to 6 cans (14.5 ounces each) beef broth

Beef bouillion powder or granules, to taste

1 large or 2 small heads of cabbage, chopped

2 pounds baby carrots, halved

1 stalk of celery (including leaves), chopped

2 or 3 small onions, chopped

4 or 5 cans green beans, drained

4 or 5 cans diced tomatoes (do not drain)

8 to 10 pounds potatoes, chunked

Salt and pepper, to taste

Rinse beef chunks, drain and place in a 16-quart stock pot. Fill pot at least 2/3 to 1/2 full of water, making sure beef chunks are completely covered. Cover (leave the lid ajar) and cook on high at least an hour, skimming foam from top if necessary.

Meanwhile, chop the cabbage, carrots, onions and celery. When the beef is thoroughly cooked, add the chopped vegetables and beef broth (you might need more broth). Dump in the beef bouillion powder or granules. (I never measure, I just dump until I get the flavor I'm after. Start with a couple of tablespoons.) Cook on high at least another hour, again covered, with the lid ajar. Stir occasionally.

After that hour, add the canned tomatoes (with juice) and the green beans (drained). Continue cooking on high for another hour or so. While the stew continues cooking, peel and cut potatoes into chunks.

Add the potatoes and continue cooking until potatoes are fork tender. Add more beef bouillion of granules if needed and salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 16 quarts.

Is it soup or stew? You decide.

Terri Hahn of Osceola has worked in food media for more than 30 years and has won numerous state and national awards for her writing. Email her at [email protected]