Sweet and Sour Beef Stew

May: National Beef Month

With spring in full swing, the weather is already warm in Hawaii.  However, it can still get cool with some showers and sprinkles in May. Serve island-inspired sweet and sour beef stew for a satisfying rainy day dish or anytime. This recipe is hearty and colorful and is simplified by the use of a slow cooker. For National Beef Month, Islander’s brother, Kahuna, prepared this meaty May meal as a guest chef on HI Cookery.

Recipe

(Adapted from RecipeZaar)

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds of boneless beef, cut into bite-sized cubes
• cooking oil (try macadamia nut oil)
• salt and pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 3 cups baby carrots, cut in half
• 1 small onion, chopped (try a sweet Maui onion)
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (we used C&H brand)
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 small can (8 ounces) of pineapple chunks, drained but reserve the juice for the sauce (we used Dole brand)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (we used Aloha Shoyu brand)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 3 tablespoons cold water

Directions

Chop up the carrots, onion and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil and brown the beef with salt and pepper.  Transfer to the bottom of a slow cooker.

Add the red pepper flakes, carrots and onions on top of the beef in the slow cooker.  Make the sauce.  In a small bowl, mix the sugar, vinegar, pineapple juice, soy sauce and garlic.  Pour into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the high setting for 4 hours or on the low setting for 6 hours or until the meat is tender. Thirty minutes before the end of the cooking time, prepare the sauce thickener.  In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the cold water then pour into the slow cooker. Add the pineapple chunks and pepper slices.  Stir the contents gently. Cook for another 15-30 minutes. Serve the stew over rice.