Jamaican Stewed Beef

For the last two weeks I've been battling fatigue, weakness, muscle soreness, an obviously pale face and a cold I couldn't seem to shake. It was only after ruling out obvious ailments like Covid and once a random craving for things with no nutritional value began, that I realized my iron levels were likely low. So I did exactly what my mother taught me to do, cook a red meat dish.

Ingredients:

Meat

2.5 - 3 pounds beef

Vegetables

2 stalk scallions

1 sprig of fresh thyme

1 tomato

1/2 sweet peppers green/red

2 small carrot

1 Irish potato was used (I recommend using 1/2 Potato instead)

4 cloves garlic

1 Tsp pimento seed

1 inch or so of ginger

1 onion

Seasonings

1 Tbsp all purpose season

1/2 Tsp garlic powder

1/2 Tsp onion powder

1 Tsp Seasoned salt

1 Tsp black pepper

1/2 Tsp smoked paprika

1 Tsp beef maggi cube (I substitute with all purpose seasoning)

2 Tsp complete season/optional

1 - 2 Tsp browning

1-2 Tbsp ketchup

Preparation:

1. Wash meat with lemon juice and water, strain as much water as possible.

2. Add about 1 Tbsp of oil (olive oil or canola)

3. Add in your dry seasonings, keep the all purpose seasoning out because you may need to add some during the cooking process

4. Add in your wet seasoning: garlic, pimento seeds, onions, tomatoes, scallion, thyme, ginger, bell peppers

5. Leave the carrots and potatoes for later

6. Add in the browning

7. Mix the seasonings into the meat and vegetables so that everything is thoroughly combined.

8. At this point you can marinate your meat and vegetables for 1 hour, overnight or not at all (I did not marinate).

9. After combining or marinating separate the wet seasoning from the meat as much as possible.

10. In a pot, heat up some oil and add in the BEEF only, its ok if bits of your veggies fall in but try to seperate them from the meat.

11. Add the beef to the hot oil and let the beef brown uncovered for about 5 mins

12. Remove some of the liquid that's forming and add it to the bowl with your wet seasonings

13. Let the meat sauté for another 5 mins, removing some more liquid and adding it to your veggie bowl.

14. Once the meat is nice and brown, add 1 cup of hot water to your wet seasoning and then add that to the meat, leave about half of the veggies and herbs for later.

15. Add in a little more browning to the pot if needed (if the liquid in the pot looks too light)

16. Add in maggi stock cubes or all purpose seasoning

17. Let the beef simmer for 1 hour, after 1 hour, add enough water to cover your meat, if a fork can’t puncture through the meat it’s not ready.

18. Let beef simmer for another hour or until tender. Add in a little more water.

19. Add in the remaining fresh ingredients along with the carrots and potatoes

20. Add in 1-2 Tbsp of ketchup

21. Taste and add in more all purpose seasoning if needed

22. Let everything cook, covered for 10-15 mins on medium heat. Be careful not to cook the stew too long otherwise the gravy will get thick and the meat will start to flake off which is what happened to mine. If this happens add in a little bit of water or just eat it same way.

23. Serve with rice, mashed potatoes or cooked dumplings!

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Song: Nuh Ramp - Lion D ft. Skarra Mucci