Jamaican Beef Stew

Drescription

Jamaican-style beef stew, a dish that's also called stew beef, is a rich braise of beef and vegetables in a sauce seasoned with caramelized sugar and allspice. A few shortcut ingredients in this version help build a sauce that will perfume your house as it cooks with sweet, savory and spiced flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1-1/2 pounds beef top sirloin steak, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 5 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 3 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons steak sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• optional: hot cooked rice or mashed potatoes

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sugar; cook and stir until lightly browned, 1 minute. Add beef and brown on all sides.
2. Stir in the vegetables, broth, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, steak sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat and vegetables are tender, 1 to 1-1/4 hours.
3. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into stew. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. If desired, serve with rice or potatoes.