Recently, I’ve been thinking about living a simpler life. The idea started when I visited Mickey Trescott’s new home in the Willamette Valley over the summer, but it really solidified when we moved all of our things from Maryland to Florida last month – over 14,000 lbs worth of belongings. As we started unpacking boxes, I couldn’t help but think that I just didn’t need so much stuff. The worst part about it? We’re still unpacking.
So for the holidays this year, we’re trying to not buy any objects for each other. Instead, we’re gifting experiences. So this week’s recipe is going to be a little different from your usual Tuesday post; I’m going to walk you through how to make gifts to hand out to people that aren’t stuff. A couple years back I made a few gallons of my barbecue sauce and gave it away as gifts. While I had a lot of fun with that idea, I wanted to do something more immediate and useful – wouldn’t it be better to just gift someone a fully-cooked delicious meal? And thus my idea of Stew for You (or Two) was born. The concept is simple: make a large batch of delicious stew, vacuum-seal it, and give it away as gifts.
I’m particularly in love with my Beef à la Mode recipe from earlier this year, yet I’m sure that its 3.5-hour cook time deters readers from making it often enough. Instead, imagine reheating a vacuum-sealed homemade meal directly in gently simmering water, offering an unbeatable experience in just 20-30 minutes. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, a resealable mylar bag or Wrap ‘n Boil bag would work well, or even something like this IndieGoGo project would be great.
So read on for the stew recipe and sealing instructions, plus other gift suggestions. Let’s make Stew for You (or Two) go viral.
I’d like to note that my friends at Arrowhead Beef supplied the chuck roast for this recipe, which came in some monster 6-lb cuts. They were totally delicious, just as good as the short ribs of theirs I used for this recipe earlier this year.
Stew for You (or Two)
5-6 lb chuck roast or short ribs
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper
8oz bacon, cut into slices
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cup red wine
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
2 bay leaves
2 cups beef stock, more if needed
2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 celery root, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 white sweet potatoes (waxy white potatoes okay), about 2 lbs, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 cup frozen peas
1 small handful fresh parsley, chopped
1. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then rub all over with the ground nutmeg. Sprinkle both sides generously with kosher salt and black pepper, about 1/2 tsp each.
2. Warm a dutch oven on med/low heat, then add the bacon. Sauté, lowering the heat as needed, until crispy and the fat has rendered out, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon; there should be about 1 tbsp of liquid fat left in the dutch oven (if there’s less, add a tbsp of lard or coconut oil). Adjust the heat to medium/high and allow to come to temperature, about 1 minute.
3. Preheat your oven to 300F. Gently blot any accumulated liquid from the beef with a paper towel, then add it to the dutch oven. Brown on both sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 3 minutes per side, then remove the beef and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion, sautéing until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar and wine, and deglaze. Return the bacon to the pot, then add the beef, thyme, tarragon, and the bay leaves. Pour enough stock to cover 3/4 of the beef, then bring to a simmer.
4. Cover the dutch oven and put it in the oven. Braise until almost tender, about 2 hours. Add the carrots, celery root, and sweet potatoes and cook until they are just tender, another 20-30 minutes.
5. Gently remove the beef and set aside to rest, covering loosely with tin foil. Strain the braising liquid and reserve the bacon and vegetables; set aside. Return the liquid to the dutch oven and simmer on med/high heat until reduced by half, about 6 minutes. As it reduces, slice the beef. Add the beef, vegetables, peas, and parsley; gently stir to combine, then remove from heat.
6. Allow the stew to cool, about 15 minutes, then transfer thew stew into four vacuum seal bags and seal the bags. Alternatively, transfer to mylar or other food and temperature-safe resealable bags. Label the bags as you see fit, then run the bags under cool water to fully cool, then pat dry and freeze and gift to your loved ones. To reheat, submerge the frozen bag in gently simmering water, cover and simmer (don’t boil!) until the food is warmed through, 20-30 minutes.
** The trick to ending up with a well-textured stew is to only cook the ingredients until they’re just ready – hence removing the stew from the heat the moment you add the frozen peas. This will take some diligent attention, but the final product with definitely worth it.
** We own and love a FoodSaver vacuum sealer, which we use when making jerky, freezing excess ingredients, or sealing mason jars of dried goods with this attachment.
** Here is how I vacuum-seal a stew (which can be problematic because of its liquid): I fill the bag, leaving about 2-3″ of space at the top, then place the open end into the sealer (varies by model). My trick is to make sure that the stew is located well below the sealer (usually hanging off the side of my counter) so that the liquid has to fight gravity to travel upwards. Some liquid will get sucked into the suction tray, but otherwise it’ll seal like a dream.
Don’t have the time to make stew? Easy, give a repurposed gift card to Whole Foods from Raise.com, which will allow your friends and family to splurge on some quality ingredients they may not normally purchase for themselves (note that you can also sell unwanted gift cards so they don’t go to waste).
Looking for something more personal? Consider hiring a freelance artist through Fiverr.com to draw caricatures of your loved ones.
How about something with a Paleo twist, that helps to restore our planet along the way? I’m a big fan of these holiday gift packages from EPIC bar, which have a ton of Paleo-friendly items and all proceeds go to The Savory Institute, a non-profit working to restore our grasslands through ideal livestock management.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t suggest that my cookbook would also be an excellent way to enjoy and share some delicious food. The softcover version is currently on sale for the lowest price I’ve seen it to date, about $22, and the Kindle and iTunes versions are on sale for $1.99 and $.99 respectively through November 25, 2014.
Any other holiday gift ideas that don’t invole stuff? Leave them in the comments below.
Great idea, we often give food and experiences as gifts too! I make all different kinds of pickles and canned sauces. My fella and I have been on the simple living/minimalism train for a long while. I love the freedom from having “stuff”- you know, those odd little things that have no real use, or that you keep because maybe someday you’ll need them? We live in 474 square feet of space, so if you’re ever interested in taking a look at a small/frugal/minimalist dwelling then stop by! http://smallthingsgood.com/category/recipes/my-little-apartment/
LikeLiked by 3 people
I love this idea! I feel the same about the desire to live more simply and have less stuff. I enjoy making home made gifts and really wanted to give food gifts for the holiday season. This is definitely on my list now! Thanks so much for posting! And, I’ll certainly check out the link listed above! Thanks for that, too!
LikeLiked by 3 people
What a brilliant idea and the stew looks fabulous! Hope to see more of these posts before x-mas :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great idea for gifts, we do our meals like this when we go elk hunting but it is a great idea all year! :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just love this idea. Will definitely try this out. I hate trying to come up with gifts to give that aren’t needed, simply because it’s expected. This sort of thoughtful and personal gift I would be proud to give away!
LikeLiked by 2 people
So on the off chance you dont have a 5 quart dutch oven, does anyone have a suggestion as to what to cook this in?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Frank, any oven-safe roasting dish with a lid will work, the heavier the better (for heat retention).
LikeLiked by 1 person
silibagz r oven safe to 400 degrees, so u could actually do it right in the bags, then into the freezer and then back into the oven or in a water ouven (sous vide) or microwave if u take the clasp off…. the only hold 1.5 litres, but a bigger version is on the way
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wow! Looks really great!
:-) :-) :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Russ, I have the hardest time getting vacuum seal bags with liquid in them to seal w/o the liquid getting into the seal and keeping it from sealing all the way. Any suggestions?
LikeLiked by 1 person
try silibagz, super easy to seal again and again, and if u use the stainless straw to suck the air out, it’s a vacuum seal bag… and no plastic!
LikeLike
Chip, good point, I just updated the recipe with this: “Here is how I vacuum-seal a stew (which can be problematic because of its liquid): I fill the bag, leaving about 2-3″ of space at the top, then place the open end into the sealer (varies by model). My trick is to make sure that the stew is located well below the sealer (usually hanging off the side of my counter) so that the liquid has to fight gravity to travel upwards. Some liquid will get sucked into the suction tray, but otherwise it’ll seal like a dream.”
LikeLike
Amazing!
LikeLike
Thx so much for noticing Silibagz! We are in the middle of an Indiegogo to get the bags off the ground, but I can tell you my family has been using them for over a year and they are awesome for cooking stews, soups, curries, etc…and the greatest thing is they can go straight from the cooking pot to the freezer and back again without any mess.
They are made of platinum silicone, originally developed for medical use, so no Phthalates, no BPA, no PVC, and no hassle to clean em (they are dishwasher safe, but very easy to hand clean too)…
they are great for camping, boating, kayaking…. just freeze em solid and take them in the cooler, then when u want to eat, just drop them in a pot of boiling salt water or whatever kind of water u can find, to heat them up, and when u r done, just roll them up and pack them away…
anyways, thx so much for the mention,
your stew looks great, i can hardly wait to try it in a silibag!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sawatdee-silibagz
LikeLiked by 2 people
I so agree about Christmas and buying stuff just for the sake of stuff. I thought about paleo jams and chutneys, maybe ketchup for my family, but I prefer this idea of a meal. Thanks, I’ve just got a great gift idea :)
LikeLiked by 3 people
Reblogged this on A Bottle. A dinner and commented:
Love it! Great ideas for the holiday season :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve taken to getting Distillery Tours for my boyfriend for various holidays and birthdays. He has more money than me and usually just buys whatever he needs for himself, but this is something fun we can do together and there are a ton of Distilleries in our area! Also I can usually find a Distillery Tour for 2 on Groupon or Living Social or some such!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Do you have any issues with the potatoes becoming soggy when you reheat them after being frozen?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heather, as long as you cook the potatoes until they are just tender, and seal/freeze the stew soon thereafter, you shouldn’t have any issues. I would recommend using waxy potatoes over russets if you’re using white potatoes (white sweet potatoes hold their shape really well).
LikeLike
What a cool spin on edible gifts. I never thought about doing a full-on meal! I totally agree with you about too much stuff – we’re about to move from DC to Denver, CO and I can’t imagine how we packed to much into an 800 sq foot apartment. Time to some sorting through and giving away!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Reblogged this on ms elaine george and commented:
A thoughtful gift for the holidays.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks good, what a great idea!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is nothing quite like a steaming bowl of stew to soothe both palate and soul. Your picture speaks a thousand words – delicious! The last vacuum packed meal I encountered was at the comfort- station of our local high school during a town power outage wherein ready packed meals were offered and let’s just say, they did not look quite as tantalizing. As for minimalizing, I couldn’t agree more as I doubt there would be a trace of your stew left anywhere. I wrote a recent story about my mother’s penchant for what she would call downsizing and we called throwing out. If you have time after reading all your Fresh Pressed comments, please enjoy! https://nynkblog.wordpress.com/2014/11/18/whisked-away-2/ Happy Thanksgiving.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Reblogged this on Baby swisper and commented:
This looks fresh and awesome.
LikeLike
Despite being vacuum packed this actually looks delicious
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very useful idea! And looks so tasty as well :) http://theevenbake.wordpress.com/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fabulous idea!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on SinghCircle and commented:
Very interesting look indeed. Should try it out!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on P O S I T I V E r e i k i.
LikeLike
interesting one
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great idea and this stuff looks so good! I’ve been tossing out junk from my life and my husband and I are focusing more on living than acquiring.
LikeLiked by 2 people
wow. amazing. wow! really amazing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
love the idea!
LikeLike
What an amazing idea! I will definitely adopt that idea and for sure going to try the recipe! Thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on My Life on Automattic and commented:
I’m all about simplifying my life and household as we head into the holidays, and while I haven’t had the chance to try this gift/meal idea out, just reading it makes me salivate. Yum!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Otras Kulturas también le jalan a nuestro delicioso tamal, mezclado con un buen guiso trifásico; Bon appettite y ¡Bon Sort!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love it when I get gifts like this. I make my own beer and home can. So, my friends and family get jams, bourbon spiced peaches, vanilla infused apple sauce, and herbed tomatoes. It feels more personal to share something that I have made with them as gifts.
LikeLiked by 2 people
http://www.progress4u.wordpress.com
LikeLike
Reblogged this on healingthymeproducts and commented:
Delicious stew and great gift idea!
Try substituting vegan protein alternatives, fresh mushroom varieties, and/or a seafood mix with fresh herbs instead of beef!
LikeLiked by 2 people
[Masterchart88 @ Solutions4U
LikeLike
Awesome idea!!! My family and I have begun to do this as well, now that I’m in college.
LikeLiked by 1 person
sdcfgvbjhn.n , b
LikeLike
nice idea. we sold everything before we moved to Florida and started new.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats on your freshly pressed! Please check out my blog if you get the chance!
mylifeasmaeganhagan.wordpress.com
I am trying this tonight!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on greatkingsblog's Blog.
LikeLike
That’d be a great gift, something fresh and home made you can enjoy at your leisure
LikeLiked by 2 people
such a great idea..so yummy looking
LikeLiked by 1 person
So do I politely overlook the typo or just mention it? Is it time to say something? I have a ton of typos on my blog – so many nobody would even think twice…but this guy’s trying to sell a book, I tell myself. So, thyme needs an h in it. The stew looks delicious. Will you send me a bag? Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the catch, fixed it!
LikeLike
Feel free to delete my post. :)
LikeLike
Ha, no way!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thought this article was going to be about how you have changed your lifestyle. Nice recipe though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have been saying this to my husband for years, “No stuff” so for our anniversary a few years ago he took us interstate and we climbed in a glass cage and swam with a crocodile..awesome, amazing, great photos and great memories, lm happy with that.
Maybe this year l’ll gift food too!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is such a good idea!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Ninja Networking Engineering by Barki Mustapha .
LikeLike
Yum! I hardly stay in the kitchen but i love to eat!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliant!! Loving the cute name tag :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Mixic.
LikeLike
Yay! What a great idea! I love my crockpot and I love making stews and soups! I’ll be back to try out some of your recipes! Happy Turkey Day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s such a cute idea!! beautiful and looks delicious!
http://obsessedorhotmess.wordpress.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fantastic idea! Thank you for sharing. We too are trying to gift less material items.
LikeLike
Fantastic ideas and that stew looks absolutely delish!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on SMALLTOWNGIRLBIGTIMELIFE.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Personal Coordinator LLC aka The Navigator and commented:
The recipe sounds wonderful. Plus the regifting suggestions are amazing. Definitely worth reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How hungry has this awesome pic made me?!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an outstanding idea. I believe you are not the only one who thinks that all the stuff you accumulate through your life is practically useless. On the other, experiences matter. They always do. For example, now you made me think about doing a special event – preparing my own cooking event (an idea similar to a pop-up restaurant) at my friend’s house. I could make them a special coupon as a gift and then just come to his house and cook there something they really enjoy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Apps Lotus's Blog.
LikeLike
Worth a try, good Job!
Pls visit Liflblog.wordpress.com
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Boomers Not Bloomers.
LikeLike
Great holiday idea!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those vaccum sealers are a great idea. I really should get one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aren’t those bags interesting. I love it when people give us food that I don’t normally cook and I would not be the least put off by the insinuation that I might eat as much as two – because I think it may just be obvious! Now, we moved from a well entrenched 3800 sf home to about 1000 after I decided I was tired of doing the yard and cleaning and cleaning. Whew. It was hard to start winnowing, but once we got going we were in a frenzied pitch… so to speak. Out it all went minus shark jaws, sewing stuff, 2 lamps and pictures/art. Give, toss & yard sale yielded happy faces and about 30K. No joke. Oh yeah – now we have time for fun.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Simpler life is often the most healthier and most rewarding
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish i could have same dish tonight. Very delicious post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The idea of vacuum packing it is amazing! It could be stored much easier as in the fridge and it is definitely easier to prepare as you dont have to refreeze it! Nice!: )
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on heykinz's Blog and commented:
so cool
LikeLike
Reblogged this on mistafancy.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Carole McCall Author and Coach and commented:
Looks good…
LikeLike
Great idea! Except, I hate recipes that only use small amounts of tomato paste, because I always seem to forget to use the rest (yes, even with one of those tubes).
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel your pain, it took us years to figure out a good system for leftover tomato paste. We transfer extra paste into a mason jar and keep it in a certain part of the fridge so we can easily see whether we have any to use.
LikeLike
Ohhh, great idea! :O
LikeLike
brilliant idea and move!! thanks for sharing..
LikeLike
Reblogged this on oflifeandbooks and commented:
Today is #GivingTuesday ! There are lots of “gifts” that we can give those around us. I loved this post on “A Stew for You (or Two)” as it’s a unique gift, and one that shows the care and love you’ve put in to it. It could also be perhaps one of the most welcomed gifts of all to those who are shut-in due to illness, frailty, a new baby, etc. Enjoy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess I could substitute pork or chicken? That was probably stupid question. Cooking and making up recipes as I go along is what I usually do. This sounds easy to make. BTW I’m with you on making gifts. This year I grew a lot more herbs than usually so I can make different mixes – that I will give in ziploc bags with ribbon.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Great idea and totally agree with the concept of not giving “stuff.” A friend recently set me on a similar path with a suggestion to gift books from my personal library that have made an impact to friends I think would be receptive and appreciative. I’ve had so much fun matching books to friends and everyone seems to love it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Halo Center.
LikeLike
Online instead of culling all my accumulated c**p.
And it’s brass monkeys here in Cheshire, that dish is a defo winter warmer for this evening!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Super Storm News.
LikeLike
Love this!!!!!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Our Primal Life and commented:
I LOVE this! I hope you all enjoy this read! What a great idea to give the gift of experiences rather than just stuff! Love it!
LikeLike
I love the “gifting experiences!” My family has been doing this for 2 years now, and it is so much more cost effective and meaningful. We still buy a few gifts for the kids, but we go on a family trip, which is our gift experience to one another. I crochet stuff for people mostly, which they love! I’ve made scarves, hats, leg warmers, etc. Good times!!
LikeLike
This is a great idea. I love the idea of vacuum sealing the stew as gifts. I’ve been looking for something to give the family on my dad’s side (where it’s just me buying gifts) that wouldn’t break the bank, especially because they already have enough stuff.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Fairlight's Life.
LikeLike
Love this idea. I’m going to try this concept this holiday season. Thanks
LikeLike
This looks yummy. I’m saving this to my recipe box. :)
LikeLike
I love cooking ahead for busy days later, this is a great idea. I usually just freeze my soups in ice cube trays so that they can defrost quicker and in desired amounts but I do like the stew for two idea!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a great idea! I love the vacuum pack! What a creative and thoughtful gift!
LikeLike
Experience as a gift is nice. It lasts forever. Nice idea.
LikeLike
This is a really smart and time saving idea.
LikeLike
This looks far better than the last ten bagged meals I’ve eaten in the past 17 hours.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Jeff's Blog.
LikeLike
Loving this gift idea!
LikeLike
This is a great idea for all occasions . Thank you for posting and thanks for your recipe too. Will check out the links as well.
LikeLike
I am a fan of giving homemade food gifts and this is a great idea.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on thebrokegirlsguide and commented:
Great idea!
LikeLike
Your recipe and the accompanying pictures make me hungry already. I love your idea to vacuum the oversupply from wonderful cooked dinners and intend to try this soon thanks!
LikeLike
Great idea … too bad a vaccum cleaner is actually not a really popular item and households… or is it?
Anyway, it looks yummy !
LikeLike
Reblogged this on jdkirkendall.
LikeLike
Right on! Gorgeous blog. Keep it real. Keep it delish.
The Man Who Ate STL.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on rockoutdeals.
LikeLike
Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this blog.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s challenging to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and appearance.
I must say you’ve done a superb job with this. Additionally,
the blog loads super fast for me on Chrome. Outstanding Blog!
LikeLike
Can I replace the wine vinegar and wine with something different?
LikeLike
Hi Sarah, I would use 1/4c apple cider vinegar in replacement of the wine and vinegar. Good luck!
LikeLike
Brilliant!! And that picture OMG!! If I freeze this, how long would you say I can keep it frozen? Thanks millions for your beautiful blog!
LikeLike