Description
Hearty Brazilian beef pumpkin stew brings rustic comfort from Brazil’s countryside kitchens, blending rich meat with sweet pumpkin in a soul-warming embrace. Rich layers of flavor invite home cooks to savor this traditional culinary treasure that connects generations through one delicious bowl.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 pounds beef stew meat or chuck roast
- 3 cups pumpkin puree
- 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
Seasonings and Herbs:
- 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3–4 thyme sprigs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cooking Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 cups beef stock or broth
Instructions
- Coat beef cubes thoroughly with flour, ensuring excess is completely removed for a clean, even coating.
- Heat butter in a large pot over medium flame, carefully brown beef pieces on all sides to develop rich, deep flavor, then transfer meat to a separate plate.
- Using the same pot, sauté chopped onions and minced garlic until they become translucent and fragrant, releasing their aromatic essence.
- Pour beef stock into the pot, whisking in smooth pumpkin puree, creating a luxurious base. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, stirring until ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Gently return browned beef to the pot, allowing liquid to reach a rolling boil before reducing heat to a gentle simmer.
- Let the stew cook undisturbed for approximately one hour, allowing meat to become increasingly tender and flavors to meld.
- Introduce cubed potatoes, sliced carrots, and fresh thyme sprigs into the simmering liquid, continuing to cook for an additional 45 minutes.
- Periodically test meat and vegetable tenderness, ensuring they reach a soft, melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, balancing flavors with additional salt, pepper, or herbs as needed before serving the hearty stew.
Notes
- Flour coating helps create a golden crust and thickens the stew’s sauce, preventing meat from becoming tough.
- Choose chuck roast or stew meat for maximum tenderness and rich flavor that breaks down during slow cooking.
- Low and slow simmering is crucial for developing deep, complex flavors and transforming tough meat into melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Consider using gluten-free flour for dredging if preparing for celiac or gluten-sensitive guests, maintaining the same browning technique.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg