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Untraditional Beef Stew
---from Raymond

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup apple juice
1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 oz.)
2 large carrots (cut into 1 inch pieces
1 sweet potato (peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces)
2 ribs celery (diced)
1 small butternut squash (peeled, seeded & diced into 1/2 inch pieces)
1 1/2 lb. boneless beef chuck (cut into pieces)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
salt & pepper to taste
1 can beef stock (12 1/2 oz.)

Heat the oil in a 6-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and let cook 3 to 4 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Add flour and stir to coat the meat and blend the oil with the flour. Let cook 3 to 4 minutes more, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any brown bits. Add the apple juice and tomatoes and allow mixture to come to a boil. Cover and cook. After 45 minutes, add the reserved vegetables, the sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Continue cooking until the meat and all the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork - about an hour or longer. Season to taste and serve. (Raymond's note: I do not add any water. If necessary, I add more apple juice. After I add the vegetables, I let it slow simmer for 2 hours or more. I find this blends the flavors together better. I love it with cornbread.)

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