Melt shortening in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet with a lid.
Add the meat cubes and brown well on all sides.
Sprinkle flour, salt, and pepper over the meat; add the boiling water and lemon juice and then cover the pot, lower the heat, and simmer for about 3 hours.
Check occasionally to see if additional water is needed.
To make dumplings:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, mix together the egg, milk, and melted butter.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the egg mixture into the well.
Mix just until incorporated—you don’t want to overmix the dough.
Drop dough by large spoonfuls into simmering stew; cover the pot and allow the dumplings to cook without raising the lid for 15 minutes.
(You might need a bit more cooking time, especially if the dumplings are on the large side, but it’s better to have smaller and more dumplings than large ones.
Place the flour, salt, pepper, and thyme in a medium-sized mixing bowl or gallon-sized plastic bag and mix or shake to blend.
Add the beef cubes, working in batches, and shake or stir to coat.
You can set the coated pieces on a cookie sheet as you continue coating all the beef cubes.
In a large stockpot, heat the oil and add the beef cubes; brown on all sides.
(You may need to add a bit more oil, especially if you brown the beef in batches.
) Next, add all remaining ingredients, except for the peas, and simmer, covered, for about 1½-2 hours.
Add the peas and continue to simmer the stew until peas are done, about 10-15 minutes more.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
When I know I’m going to be making this stew for lunch or dinner, I purposely make extra coffee in the morning. I measure out a cup and put it in the fridge (covered) until time to make the stew.
Dredge the beef cubes in the flour to coat the meat thoroughly, either by stirring in a mixing bowl or shaking the beef and flour in a gallon-sized plastic bag.
Remove the meat and discard the extra flour.
Heat the oil in a heavy stockpot or Dutch oven; add meat and brown on all sides.
(You may have to work in batches.
If so, you may need a bit more oil.
) With a slotted spoon, remove the meat and set aside for now.
Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are limp.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 1-1½ hours.
Keep the simmer as low as possible and stir occasionally.
If it seems as though the broth is evaporating more than you want, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat a bit more, and continue cooking until done.
1½cupsdried beansblack, small red, or pinto beans are great in this recipe
2T.olive oil
1-2onionschopped
½cupcarrotspeeled and sliced or chopped
½cupcelerysliced
½cupgreen or red bell pepperseeded and chopped
5-6cupsbeefchicken, or vegetable broth, divided
2T.garlicminced
2cupsfresh tomatoesskinned and chopped, or 1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2T.tomato paste
2T.honey
2-4tsp.chili powder
1-2tsp.cumin
½tsp.oregano
splash of lemon or lime juiceoptional
shredded cheesesour cream, fresh snipped cilantro or parsley for garnishes
Instructies
Soak the beans in water overnight.
Or, if you want to make the stew today, you can put the dried beans in a large stockpot, cover with water, and bring the mixture to a boil; cover the pot, turn off heat, and let the beans sit for an hour.
Both of these methods help the beans to soften and cook more evenly and quickly.
Whichever method you use, when the time is up, drain and rinse the beans and set them aside.
In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil along with a splash of the broth; add the onions, carrots, celery, and bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are limp.
Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring gently, for 1 minute.
Add the beans, 4 cups of the remaining broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, chili powder, cumin, and oregano to the pot; cover and simmer until beans are cooked, about 1½ -2 hours. (Variables such as how old and dry the beans are, how long they soaked, and what variety you use make this timing approximate only. )
Add more broth if needed during the cooking process.
When beans are thoroughly cooked, add a splash of lemon or lime juice if desired. (I think it helps to brighten the flavors, so I usually add some. )
Ladle into individual bowls and serve with garnishes of your choice.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
You can save time by using 3 cans of store-bought or home-canned pint jars of beans instead of using dried beans. Drain and rinse the beans, and then follow the instructions beginning with the second paragraph.
3cupssweet potatoespeeled and cubed (about 3 sweet potatoes)
2cupsapplespeeled or unpeeled (cook’s choice), seeded, and cubed (about 2 apples)
1cuponionchopped
2T.water
For cheese dumplings:
1cupflour
1½tsp.baking powder
¼tsp.salt
⅔cupbuttermilk
¼cupCheddar cheese
½tsp.parsley flakesoptional
Instructies
To make stew:
In a medium mixing bowl or gallon-sized plastic bag, mix together the flour, salt, thyme, and pepper.
Add the pork cubes and stir or shake to coat pork evenly.
Place coated pork cubes on waxed paper and reserve remaining flour mixture to be used a bit later.
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; add pork cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until browned on all sides.
Add all remaining stew ingredients except for the reserved flour and 2 tablespoons water.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45-60 minutes or until pork is tender, stirring occasionally.
In a small bowl, mix together the reserved flour mixture and 2 tablespoons water and blend until smooth.
Add to the stew; cook and stir for several minutes until stew is slightly thickened.
To make cheese dumplings:
Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the buttermilk, cheese, and parsley (if using) and stir just until moistened.
Drop by tablespoonfuls into hot stew.
Cover Dutch oven tightly and cook 25-35 minutes or until dumplings are fluffy and no longer doughy.
2½quartswater—enough to completely cover the beans
1ham hock
1stalk celerychunked into thirds
1oniondiced
salt and pepper to taste
Instructies
Place the beans in a large soup pot and add the water.
Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat.
Cover the pot and let sit for an hour.
Drain water from the beans, refill the soup pot with fresh water, and return the beans to the stove.
Once the mixture begins boiling, turn down the heat so the beans simmer.
Now is the time to add the ham hock, celery, and onion.
Simmer the beans, covered, for 2 or more hours, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are tender.
Remove the ham hock and celery from the soup.
Discard the celery, let the ham hock cool enough to take off any meat, and add the ham back into the pot.
When ready to serve, salt and pepper to taste.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Our family loves this soup plain with cornbread on the side. But sometimes we like to eat it ladled over cooked rice with chopped tomatoes on top. Delicious!