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Mexican Beef Stew with Vegetables

Mexican Beef Stew with Vegetables

If you have homemade beef stock, by all means use that instead of water and beef stock base. I liked a lot of lime in this stew, so in case your diners agree with me, have at least 3 juicy limes on hand.
Course Entree
Cuisine Mexican
Author TheSpicedLife

Ingredients

  • 2-3 T bacon grease
  • 3-4 lbs beef chuck salted
  • 3 small-medium onions chopped
  • 2 T minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 t cumin
  • 1 1/2 t Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 t ancho powder
  • 1 15- oz can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 12 oz bottle Mexican lager
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 t Minor’s low sodium beef stock base
  • 4 medium potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • florets from one head cauliflower
  • 2 medium zucchini, fluffy insides scraped out and then diced
  • Juice of 1 lime, to taste (have more available case you want it)
  • sour cream
  • cheese (queso fresco or Monterey Jack)
  • chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Heat the bacon grease in a cooktop-safe slow cooker insert or a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the beef chuck and brown it on all sides. Remove it to a large bowl when done.
  2. Add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden and translucent. Add the garlic and cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring.
  3. Add the cumin, oregano and ancho. Cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
  4. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, lager, water and beef stock base. Bring to a boil.
  5. Either add the beef chuck to the cooktop-safe slow cooker insert, or add the beef chuck to the slow cooker along with everything in the skillet. If using a cooktop-safe slow cooker insert, transfer it now to the slow cooker base. Cook on low for 5 hours (you could also cook on high for 3 hours--make it work for your schedule).
  6. Add the potatoes, and leave cooking on low for another hour.
  7. Add the cauliflower and zucchini with a pinch of salt. Turn the slow cooker up to high and cook for an hour (or 2 hours on low if you have the time).
  8. Add the juice of 1 lime and taste for salt, pepper and more lime juice (I liked a lot of lime--you can also serve the stew with wedges if not every one agrees).
  9. Serve garnished with sour cream, lime wedges, your cheese of choice (we disagreed about that too) and cilantro.