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Cowboy Stew in a bowl
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Cowboy Stew

Dinner's on! My Cowboy Stew recipe combines three types of tender meat with beans & veggies in a one-pot wonder delicious enough to everyone!
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword Cowboy Stew, Cowboy Stew Recipe, How Do I Make Cowboy Stew, How To Make Cowboy Stew
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 745kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 2 (12-ounce) package kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80/20
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, with liquid
  • 2 (16-ounce) cans baked beans, with liquid
  • 1 (7-ounce) can chopped green chilies, with liquid
  • 1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn, with liquid
  • 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Instructions

  • Cook bacon until brown and crispy in a large pot. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
    Step 1 how to make cowboy stew, Cook bacon until brown and crispy in a large pot. Set aside.
  • Add the sausage to pot drippings and brown on both sides, adjusting heat as needed so fond (brown bits on the bottom of the pot) does not burn. Remove to the plate with bacon; set aside.
    Step 2 how to make cowboy stew with ground beef, Add the sausage to pot drippings and brown on both sides. Set aside.
  • Add beef, onion, and garlic to the pot and brown until the beef is no longer pink. Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder over beef. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
    Step 4 how to make cowboy stew with sausage, Brown until the beef is no longer pink.
  • Add diced tomatoes, baked beans, green chilies, sweet corn, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and water. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
    Step 6 how to make cowboy stew with ground beef, Add diced tomatoes, baked beans, green chilies, sweet corn, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and water. Boil
  • Garnish with parsley.
  • Add additional water if stew is too thick.

Notes

  1. Let’s Talk Beans!! This is the exact taste of Cowboy stew that my Girl Scout troop used to make. That said, some people find the baked beans, too sweet. I’ve received many suggestions (Hello, Texas! Love you!!) to use ranch-style beans, including the liquid in the can instead!
  2. Kielbasa – This recipe uses three types of meat for a fully dimensional flavor sensation! If you’re thinking about skipping one, don’t — I promise, it’s worth it. For instance, the kielbasa brings a delicious smokiness that the bacon and beef don’t have. You just can’t have cowboy stew without all these treats!
  3. Tomatoes – I use canned tomatoes for this recipe to save time in the prep stage as well as the cooking stage. And using petite diced tomatoes helps them break down even faster! If you can’t find petite, using crushed is a good alternative.
  4. Beans – I love the flavor and sweetness that comes with using canned baked beans in this stew! My favorite is good ol’ Bush’s Original, but you can use any brand at your store.
  5. Corn – Playing up the sweetness, even more, I use sweet corn in this recipe too. Sweet corn is NOT just corn canned with sugar — it’s a specific type of corn. So make sure you’re reading labels and not just getting plain corn with added sugar. Yuck!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipe | Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 2049mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg