How to Make Jamaican Beef Stew

Jamaican cuisine is one of the healthiest because it gets its flavors from fresh vegetables and natural spices. If you want to try a Jamaican twist on a classic American recipe at home, you can make Jamaican-style beef stew. What sets this stew apart from the American kind is that Jamaican beef stew incorporates sweet potatoes and ground allspice, two traditional ingredients in Jamaican cuisine. Put a healthy and exotic pot of beef stew on the table by trying a Caribbean region's spin on beef stew.

Things You'll Need

• Large bowl
• Large soup pot with lid
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• 1 1/2 lbs. pre-cut stew beef (or boneless sirloin cut into 3/4-inch pieces)
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 onion (any kind)
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1/2 cup canned beef stock
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 to 1 cup peas or green beans
• Prepared rice, mashed potatoes or biscuits

Instructions

1. Place the beef in a large bowl with 3 tbsp. of flour, 1/4 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper. Use your hands to completely coat the beef in the flour mixture.

2. Put large soup pot on stove. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and turn the heat to medium high. While vegetable oil is heating, cut an onion in half with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Remove the skin and slice it into ¼-inch pieces.

3. Hold your hand (palm-side down) about 6 inches over the pot and if you feel heat, the oil is ready. Add the beef and onion, stirring approximately every two minutes until both the beef and onion are brown.

4. Use a sharp knife and cutting board to chop the sweet potato into 1 1/2-inch chunks while the beef and onions are browning. Add the potatoes to the pot when the beef and onions are done.

5. Pour 1/2 cup of beef stock into the pot with 1/4 tsp. of ground allspice and stir everything together. Put a lid on the pot and reduce the heat to low.

6. Let it simmer for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours, depending on how much time you have. Approximately 15 minutes before it's done cooking, add peas or green beans and let them heat through for the last portion of the cooking time.

7. Taste the stew and add more salt and pepper to your preference.

8. Ladle stew over plates of prepared rice, mashed potatoes, biscuits or eat it by itself.

Tips & Warnings

• You can chop up the onion and sweet potato before you start cooking if you are new to cooking or not a quick chopper.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish