Christmas in a Crockpot

Cold winter days create a longing for things like beef stew and hot cider.

But did you know you can have both of those things in ONE delicious dish?

I’ll explain.

I have a fondness for what’s referred to as “ghetto-ass supermarkets”. 

They don’t look fancy, they’re generally in the more depressed areas of the city, and they don’t carry “free-range” chicken.  But they may carry LIVE chickens.  In Spanish neighborhoods, they’re known as “viveras”. 

Okay---I admit that I don’t go into viveras.  Because I have a fertile imagination and a strong leaning towards anthropomorphism.  I can’t even walk onto a Christmas tree lot without thinking that the scrawny, Charlie Brown tree isn’t crying out, “Why doesn’t anyone want me?  Why won’t someone take me home for Christmas?”

I’ve lugged home too many pathetic pine trees to know that if I walk into a vivera---I’ll come out with a new pet.

But a true food adventurer knows that these markets are a goldmine.

They’ve been there a long time and they’ve learned to cater to the ethnic communities in that particular neighborhood.  Somewhere in that store (and you may have to REALLY look carefully for it) you will find a small section devoted to ingredients that remind that community of home.  And it’s all delicious!

So the other day I was in a ghetto-ass supermarket in Harlem.  C-Town on 116^th St., to be exact.  

Like a truffle pig, I began to sniff out the goodies.

And sure enough, they were there.

Two small sections devoted to Jamaican and West African goods.

And when I saw the Red Palm Oil on the shelf, I KNEW I was making Jamaican Beef Stew for dinner.

For starters, Red Palm Oil (unrefined----don’t even bother with the refined stuff) is one of THE best oils you can put in your body.  Even better than coconut oil.  It actually UNCLOGS arteries, prevents heart attacks and strokes, is an anti-oxidant FULL of beta carotene, and does a ton more great stuff.  Just Google it and you’ll be amazed.   

It’s also one of those ingredients that most Jamaican recipes will change to “olive oil” in an attempt to make things easier for non-Jamaicans.  But it gives your dish that distinctive flavor that only locals can pick out. 

Yes, you want to be careful buying Red Palm Oil from countries with orangutans because it depletes their forest.  But this was from Jamaica, not Borneo.  And the easy way to tell refined from unrefined is that if the oil is red----that’s the good stuff! 

My friend Tommie has a Jamaican boyfriend.  He’s always looking for Jamaican dishes he can cook up for the two of them for their “Date Nights”.  He saw the photo of my stew on Facebook and immediately wanted the recipe.  So I'm sharing this one.

It’s a basic stew with a few added techniques and ingredients.  This is how I tried to share the recipe with my friend Tommie over dinner last night.  I did mine on the stove top, but once you brown the meat and sauté the onions and garlic, you could easily do this in a slow cooker. 

Jamaican Beef Stew

Ingredients:

Palm Oil

Sugar

Beef stew chunks

Onions

Garlic

Chicken stock (or just water)

Potatoes

Carrots

Ground Allspice

Cinnamon

Salt

Pepper

Thyme

Bay leaves

Tomato Paste

Rum

Soy Sauce

Brown Sugar

Red Wine Vinegar

West African Hot Pepper

Pickapepper Sauce

Corn Starch

Do NOT be scared of the list of ingredients!  It's mostly spices and things you likely have around your kitchen.

1. Put a bit of red palm oil in your pot over medium-high heat and stir a spoonful of sugar (I used pure cane sugar) into the oil.  This is a Caribbean technique.  Jamaican food (like Indian food) is carefully balanced.  Think of how they BOTH have curries.  Make sense now?  Anywho----once the oil and sugar are hot, put the beef stewing chunks into the pot and brown on all sides.
2. Add in some sliced onions and chopped garlic and sweat them out.
3. Pour enough water or chicken stock into the pot to cover the beef---add the carrots and potatoes.  Bring this to a boil.
4. Note:  When making stew, I peel my carrots and potatoes---Tommie asked me this so I’ll explain why.  The “peel” of carrots is a bit bitter and while I always roast potatoes “skin-on”, peeling them reminds me of Mom’s beef stew.  Purely sentimental.  I also cut them into chunks of a similar size as the meat so they cook evenly.  Depending on the type of potatoes you’re using, you may want to add the potatoes a few minutes later so they don’t turn to mush.  Older white potatoes will cook quicker than newer red ones.
5. Okay---now it’s time to add your spices.  Allspice is key!  It’s native to Jamaica and you’ll find it in many dishes.  And it's NOT a blend of spices like Chinese Five Spice.  It's its own thing.  And don’t get me talking about the Spice Wars.  I’ll bore your ears off.  But sordid history aside, you’re going to start adding the fun stuff---ground allspice, cinnamon, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaves, tomato paste, rum, soy sauce, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, West African Hot Pepper (or cayenne or whatever you like) and something called Pickapeppa Sauce, which is the Jamaican equivalent of A-1 Steak Sauce.  But if you’re really going to do this, don’t substitute.  Find some Pickapeppa.  I first discovered it at a burrito shop in Minneapolis, so it’s out there.  You just have to open your eyes.  It’s also my favorite sauce to shake onto a mushroom cheese omelet.  And I don't give measurements here because I just shake stuff in and kinda know what I'm doing.  So I'm just going to trust you.    
6. Bring this all to a boil, then turn the heat down, put the lid on the pot, and let it simmer for about 2 hours.
7. You’ll know it’s done when the meat pulls away easily with a fork.  Now it’s time to turn water into wine----err, I mean gravy.  This is something Tommie didn’t know, so I’ll explain.  When a recipe says to add a tablespoon of corn starch to create gravy, you can’t just put a tablespoon of corn starch in!  The science of corn starch DEMANDS that you mix that spoonful of powder in with a spoonful or two of COLD water before pouring it into the pot.  I’m sure Alton Brown could explain it better, but you HAVE to do this or you will not get gravy.  But it’s easy.  Cold water.  Powder.  Stir with a fork.  Pour into pot.  Then bring your heat up to high and watch it turn into delicious gravy right before your eyes. 

I knew how amazing this stew was going to be right from the get-go.  So I got out some yeast and whipped up a quick batch of Jamaican Coco Bread to lap up all that sauce.  But you can also serve this over rice or use whatever bread you have handy.

While you may not think of Island food as Christmas-y-----this dish will totally change your mind.  It’s beef stew in mulling spices and rum.   And honestly, Christmas food ALL depends on where you grew up. 

So get thee to a ghetto-ass supermarket!