“This is our family’s version of Irish Stew that we have all called Pickanock Stew for as long as I can remember. My Dad’s family are of Irish descent and settled in Quebec’s Gatineau Valley in a little village called Pickanock. My Granny made it for my Dad and his sisters, she made it for me and my brothers and I am ecstatic that my boys enjoy it as much as I did when I was a kid. It is the perfect way to feed them a hot and hearty meal at school on a chilly day. Pro tip: don’t forget to send a spoon. This recipe feeds my family of four for dinner with enough left over to send two portions for lunch and freeze two additional portions for up to three months.” –Stephanie Moore
| 2 T | olive oil |
| 1½ c | chopped yellow onion |
| ½ c | chopped celery |
| 4 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 lb | ground beef |
| 1 t | kosher salt |
| 1 t | freshly ground pepper |
| 1½ lbs | beef chuck or shank, cut into ¾-inch cubes |
| 4 c | unsalted chicken stock |
| 4 c | unsalted beef stock |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 2 c | sliced carrot |
| 2 c | sliced parsnip |
| 2½ c | cubed rutabaga, cut into ¾-inch pieces |
| 3 c | cubed red or yellow skinned potato, cut into ¾-inch pieces |
| 3 T | chopped fresh parsley |
| salt and pepper to taste |
Heat olive oil over medium in a large pot with lid. I usually use a stockpot because there is plenty of room to cook everything in one pot, but any large pot with a lid will do fine. Add onion and celery, sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until onion is starting to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until ground beef is starting to brown.
Add beef cubes, chicken stock, beef stock and bay leaves. You can use all beef or all chicken stock but I always seem to have a bit of both at home so I usually use both. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Add carrot, parsnip, rutabaga and potato. I like to keep the skin on the potato for a bit of added colour and fibre but you can peel it if you prefer. Give it a good stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about ½ hour until beef and veggies are tender. Stir in the parsley, add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a loaf of crusty bread and butter