Perfect Winter Beef Stew

photo by:kraft

"Tasty" barely begins to describe this stew. With savory beef, rich bacon, veggies and hearty potatoes, "perfect" is a much closer word.

time

prep:

15 min

total:

2 hr 15 min

servings

total:

8 servings, 1-1/4 cups each

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What You Need

3/4

cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing

lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks

slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, chopped

1/2

lb. sliced fresh mushrooms

large onion, chopped

carrots (about 1 lb.), sliced

1-1/2

lb. red potatoes (about 5), peeled, cut into large chunks

can (14-1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes, undrained

can (14-1/2 oz.) beef broth

It's for dipping and dunking and mixing-upping. And yes, for salad too.

Make It

step 1

POUR dressing over stew meat in resealable plastic bag. Seal bag; turn to evenly coat meat with dressing. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.

step 2

COOK bacon in large saucepan on medium heat 5 min. or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Use slotted spoon to remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan; drain bacon on paper towels.

step 3

ADD mushrooms and onions to reserved drippings; cook on medium-high heat 10 min. or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove stew meat from marinade; add to saucepan with carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, broth and bacon. Discard bag and marinade.

step 4

BRING stew to boil, stirring occasionally; cover. Simmer on low heat 1-1/2 hours or until beef is done and stew is thickened, stirring occasionally and uncovering for the last 15 min.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Variation

Pour dressing over beef in shallow glass dish; stir to evenly coat meat with dressing. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate. Drain, then continue as directed.

Substitute

Prepare using KRAFT Lite Italian Dressing.

How to Prepare Stew in Slow Cooker

Marinate beef, and cook bacon, onions and mushrooms as directed. Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade. Add beef, bacon, onions, mushrooms and remaining ingredients to slow cooker; cover with lid. Cook on LOW 10 to 12 hours (or on HIGH 5 to 6 hours ). Stir in 2 Tbsp. flour mixed with 2 Tbsp. water. Cook, covered, 15 min. or until sauce is thickened.

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thuriniga

posted:1/24/2006

I doctored this for me and my husband not using mushrooms, using mixed vegetables and cooking it in the crock pot. I threw everything together, got on with my busy day, and all the nutrition and a harty meal done that night without a fuss. It was great!

RosemaryRosemary

posted:1/24/2006

PERFECT for a chilly day... or any day. But very, very flavorful.

WhitsEnd

posted:1/24/2006

This was very easy and very good. My 5yr old even asked me the next night when would we have it again, but he said he loved the carrots! I discovered at the last minute that I didn't have beef broth, but substituted beef bouillon dissolved in water and it was just fine. I also added flour at the end to thicken it up. Definitely destined to be a regular winter meal.

ClaireCheatum

posted:1/24/2006

This was the best stew. My husband when on and on about how delicious it was. The meat was tender and the vegetables were perfect.

a cook

posted:1/24/2006

I loved it! I wasn't sure about skipping the browning but I followed the directions and it turned out great!

amwhumm

posted:1/24/2006

What a delicious stew.. I sauteed the mushrooms and onions in a tsp of butter in a separate pan.. I also cooked bacon in a separate pan.. added all ingredients as per recipe, to a clean pot and waited for the wonderful aroma to occur..served with biscuits.. It was great !

heatherjulian

posted:1/23/2006

Wow! I added one more can of beef broth for a bit more "soup". It is the best Beef Stew I have ever had. Hands down!!!!!

benzo216

posted:1/23/2006

This was soooo delicious...my husband is very picky but he loved this! The bacon and mushrooms add a little something different. Marinating the beef made it so tasty and tender - can't wait to make this again!

fredomoftruth

posted:1/23/2006

fun to try something new. this recipe was pretty good. and of course my husband loved the bacon.

jedel

posted:1/23/2006

My husband loved it! I did add one crushed garlic glove to the pot while it simmered and a few teaspoons of Italian herbs. I also added some cornstarch mixed with water towards the end to thicken it a bit. I will definitely make this again. Oh yeah, I used baby portabella mushrooms for a beefy taste.