Description
Hearty cowboy stew embodies rustic Western comfort with rich beef, vegetables, and robust seasonings. Cowpokes and dinner guests will savor this satisfying one-pot meal that warms both body and spirit.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 12 oz (340 g) smoked sausage (kielbasa or andouille), sliced
- 2 cups baby potatoes, halved
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 (15-oz/425 g) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-oz/425 g) can ranch-style beans (or pinto beans), drained
- 1 (15-oz/425 g) can corn, drained
- 1 (10-oz/283 g) can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Meat Foundation: Sear ground beef in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, creating caramelized edges and developing deep golden-brown coloration, which builds foundational flavor complexity.
- Flavor Layering: Introduce smoked sausage to render additional smoky undertones while simultaneously sautéing onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant, intensifying the aromatic profile of the emerging stew.
- Ingredient Integration: Combine baby potatoes, diced tomatoes, ranch-style beans, corn kernels, and Rotel into the robust mixture, ensuring even distribution and allowing each component to contribute its unique textural and taste dimensions.
- Liquid Infusion: Stream beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into the pan, then generously season with chili powder, paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, creating a harmonious liquid base that will tenderize and unite all ingredients.
- Simmering Transformation: Bring the stew to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and allow ingredients to gently meld and potatoes to become fork-tender through a patient 20-minute simmering process, which concentrates flavors and softens textures.
Notes
- Manage Meat Browning: Ensure ground beef develops a deep golden-brown crust by avoiding overcrowding the pan, which prevents proper caramelization and reduces flavor intensity.
- Control Sausage Texture: Slice smoked sausage uniformly to guarantee even cooking and consistent smoky flavor throughout the stew.
- Potato Tenderness Trick: Cut baby potatoes into similar-sized pieces to promote equal cooking time, preventing some chunks from becoming mushy while others remain undercooked.
- Seasoning Balance: Adjust spice levels gradually, tasting as you go, since Rotel and ranch-style beans already contribute significant flavor complexity to the cowboy stew.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg