How to Make Mulligan’s Stew

Hearty and rich, Mulligan’s Stew is said to have its origins in a dish that hobos used to cook over outdoor wood fires, and by the looks of this stew, those hobos didn’t really have it too bad. The stew is made by browning off cubes of beef and slow-cooking them with vegetables in a Dutch oven – the result is beautifully tender beef and vegetables, in a delicious and nutritious medley.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes
Serving Size: Serves 8 to 10 persons
Utensils: Medium-sized bowl, small bowl, spoon, Dutch oven

Ingredients:

– 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon pepper
– 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
– 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
– 2 cans (10-1/2 ounces each) beef broth
– 1 cup water
– 2 bay leaves
– 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
– 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
– 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
– 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
– 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch slices
– 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
– 2 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch slices
– 1 onion, cut into eight wedges
– 1 cup each frozen corn, green beans, lima beans and green peas
– 1 tablespoon cornstarch
– 2 tablespoons cold water
– 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Instructions

  • 1

    To begin, mix the flour and pepper together in a medium-sized bowl, and dredge the pieces of cubed beef in this, to coat them entirely. You can do this by dipping in one piece of beef at a time if you wish to be very thorough, but it is easier to simply put all the beef into the bowl filled with flour and pepper, and give it a couple of good tosses.

  • 2

    Then, place your Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat (or over a fire if you fancy cooking out of doors), and drizzle in some oil. Then, toss in the floured beef cubes, and brown them until they take on a lovely deep brown colour. Once they are browned evenly, pour in all the beef broth and 1 cup of water, followed by the bay leaves, garlic salt, oregano, basil and dill.

  • 3

    Bring this mixture up to a boil, and then reduce the heat, cover the pot with its lid, and simmer until the meat becomes tender – this should take around 2 hours, roughly. Once the meat is cooked through and tender, add the carrots, potatoes, celery and onion to the stew, and then cover and simmer for another 40 minutes.

  • 4

    Once the carrots and potatoes are cooked and tender (test them by piercing with a knife or fork), add in the corn, lima beans and green peas. Once again, cover and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or however long it takes for the vegetables to cook through and become tender (but not mushy).

  • 5

    As a final touch, to thicken the stew, combine the cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a spoon to make sure they are completely mixed, and smooth. Pour this into the simmering stew, stir it in, and bring the stew up to a boil. Let it boil for roughly 2 minutes, until the stew begins to thicken, and the rawness of the cornstarch fades away. Finally, take the Dutch oven off the heat, remove the bay leaves, sprinkle on the parsley, and serve the stew hot.

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