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I have been making stews lately. Takes a while to cook, but most of that time is inactive. About 20 minutes to get it started and an additional 15 minutes as it cooks. Makes a lot of food. Ingredients are simple and can be adjusted to your preference and for what is available for you. I use beef for the meat. Toss it in flour and sear it olive oil to get a good char. Take the meat out add onion and use the water that sweats from the onion to loosen the chard on the bottom of the pan from the beef. Add Garlic then tomato paste, rosemary thyme and pepper. I use better than bullion for the broth. Return the meat to the pot and let that cook at a low simmer for an hour or two. Then I add potatoes, carrots, peas, and corn. Each vegetable has its own cook time so I add them in stages. Potatoes take 40 minutes so I add them first, wait 10 minutes then add carrrots (needs 30 mintes), wait 15 minutes then add the peas and corn. 15 more minutes and it is done. Add salt to taste but that will depend on how salty your broth is and how salty you like your food. I often do need to add any salt beyond what is in the better than bullion beef broth.

I use 1-1.5lb of beef, 1.5lb potato, 1lb carrots. 1 onion, 12oz corn 12oz peas so it makes a lot of food. The quantities are just based on package sizes that are readily available. Reheats in a microwave in 1-2 minutes depending on potion size.

The largest cost is the beef but that can be swapped for another meat or for vegetarian options try a lentil stew. The rest of the bulk comes from vegetables that are very cheap.

The recipe is based on an older version of the Chunky Beef Stew recipe from budget bytes. https://www.budgetbytes.com/slow-cooker-rosemary-garlic-beef-stew-slow-cooker/