So, the groundhog saw his shadow, as he does pretty much every year. We’ve had a very unusually warm February, and it almost feels like spring is here. I know better. It’s that sneaky mid-season bait-and-switch game. We get all cocky in our sweatshirts and jeans, no coats, feeling like we might need to bust out the swimsuits and flip flops at any moment. And then, wait for it…..the temps will plummet, snow will fly and we’ll be back to hibernation mode. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…
Hence, the recipe for Paleo Crock Pot Beef Stew…the perfect one-pot wintry dinner to “celebrate” your despondency over six more weeks of ice and snow and cold. Drown your sorrows in a steamy bowl, and you might just perk up a bit. Maybe winter’s not so bad after all.
And what’s with this groundhog business anyway? Who made the groundhog the meteorological guru of the world?
Apparently, this holiday’s been around for a very long time, brought to America by German immigrants a couple hundred years ago, and its origins go wayyyy back from there! Wow.
Arguably, the most famous weather-savvy groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil, of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Phil’s getting up there. He’s been at this business since the late 1880’s, so I guess he knows what he’s doing. All I know is that Phil saw his shadow, so winter’s probably not leaving us any time soon.
Better embrace it. Stoke up the fire. Whip up some Paleo Crock Pot Beef Stew. And maybe a bit of hot cocoa to top it all off. Okay, this really isn’t all bad! Maybe summer can wait just a bit.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large red onion
- 3 lbs. beef stew meat
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4 stalks celery
- 6 carrots
- 4 red potatoes
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 14-oz. can stewed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large pan on the stove.
- Mince onion.
- Add onion and beef to pan and brown meat on all sides.
- Mince garlic and add to pan; cook for 30 seconds.
- Add beef and onion mixture, along with all pan drippings, to crock pot.
- Chop celery, peel and chop carrots, and cut potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Add to crock pot, along with beef stock and tomatoes.
- Roughly chop fresh herbs. Add basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, paprika and salt and pepper to pot.
- Cook on low 7-9 hours, until meat is tender and veggies are cooked through.
- Before serving, stir in balsamic vinegar and adjust seasonings to taste.
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