This recipe is an adaptation of my fathers’s recipe, Hearty Beef Stew. Different from most beef stew recipes, instead of a thick brown gravy, it is thick and rich with tomatoes, tomato sauce and spicy with ground black pepper.

• 2 pounds lean stew beef
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 6 stalks celery
• 2 cans (14 1/2-ounces) crushed or diced tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 cup flour

• 6 medium potatoes
• 6 medium carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 cans (15-ounce) tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons beef soup base

1. Trim and destring celery. Peel carrots and potatoes. Cut celery, carrots and potatoes into equal, bite-sized pieces.
2. Peel and trim onions and chop.
3. Stew beef usually comes in fairly large pieces. I like to cut it into slightly smaller pieces. Cut meat to your preference. Place flour with some salt and pepper into a bag. Add beef pieces and shake well to coat. Remove meat fro bag and shake off any loose flour.
4. Heat oil in Aircore Dutch oven over medium heat. Add meat and stir and fry until it starts to brown Add onions and stir and cook until meat is thoroughly browned and onions are darkening.
5. Add celery, carrots and potatoes to pot. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir to mix. Continue heating over medium heat until mixture starts to simmer. Reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook for 25 minutes. While cooking, add pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano and soup base. Stir frequently.
6. After 25 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings to your liking - should be peppery, tomato and beef. Add inner glass lid and outer metal lid. Cook until indicator is as the top of the red arc, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and self cook until indicator is at the bottom of the yellow arc, about 4 hours. In the cozy, the self cooking time will be extended to about 8 hours.
7. Before serving, place frozen peas in a small pot of water and heat until boiling. Drain water and add peas to stew mixture and stir.