Friday, November 13, 2009

Pumpkin Stew

Are you looking for some way to use pumpkin during this harvest season, but don't want it to be a dessert? Here is a recipe I got yesterday from a friend. It looks like a lot of salt, so when I make it I will greatly cut back on the salt and the bouillon. I will also cut back on the meat and oil used for browning the meat. I don't have a whole pumpkin big enough to bake in the pumpkin, but I will put in pumpkin chunks. For those who can do the whole pumpkin, I bet it would make a lovely presentation.

Pumpkin Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 cup water
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, sliced
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1 sugar pumpkin
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Place beef in the saucepan and cook until evenly brown. Mix in the water, potatoes, carrots, green bell pepper, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer approximately 2 hours.
Dissolve the bouillon into the beef mixture. Stir in the tomatoes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Cut top off the pumpkin and remove seeds and pulp. Place the pumpkin in a heavy baking pan. Fill the pumpkin with the beef mixture. Brush outside of the pumpkin with remaining oil.
Bake in the preheated oven 2 hours, or until tender. Serve the stew from the pumpkin, scraping out some of the pumpkin meat with each serving.

* I just made this for my family tonight for supper - Saturday, and made a few changes. Here is what I did. I prepared this with 2 lb. lean ground beef, no oil, and then I tripled the water and veggies. I used the salt, pepper, and bouillon recommended for 1 recipe, and that was plenty salty. When I make it again, I will but back further on the salt. I also did not make this in a pumpkin. I roasted a pumpkin in the oven, and then cut and added small pieces of it to the stew. This made enough for my family of 5, with enough left over that I won't have to make lunch again tomorrow.

1 comment:

Becka said...

This sounds so good, just might try it,