After having a tasty roast dinner, I decided to use the leftovers for stew. There is a little bit of preparation involved, but it is worth the effort. Since the leftovers stay cold in the refrigerator, the fat hardens, making it easy to skim off the top. Use a spoon and bowl to remove excess fat, then set it aside for sauteing vegetables later. Any remaining vegetables can be cut to the size desired for stew. For the meat, I separated it into chunky bits while taking away any fat. Finally, I sorted through the remaining broth for any unwanted particles. A mesh strainer could be used for no particles, but I enjoy the added texture and flavor. All of this can be done ahead of time and put back in the refrigerator until needed.
There weren’t enough vegetables leftover for my liking, so I used more. Keep in mind there is no hard-and-fast rule that dictates what can be used in stew. Using what you like is always the best way to go. The flavor powerhouse of the meal is the fond, which is made from browning the meat and adding water or stock. Seasoning that was used for the roast is also in the fond. If spiciness is desired, sriracha sauce goes very well with this stew.
Leftover Roast Stew
1 Large Sweet Onion
5 Garlic Cloves
3 Carrots
1 Small Head of Cabbage, Halved
2 tsp. Roast Fat
3 Hothouse Tomatoes
12 oz. Okra
3 Large Potatoes
3 Bay Leaves
Leftover Beef, Vegetables, and Broth
32 oz. Beef Broth
Dice the onion, garlic, carrots, and cabbage to desired size and put them in a pot that has some roast fat in it. Saute the vegetables, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. Keeping the stove on medium, add the broth to the pan. While that is heating, dice the tomatoes and potatoes. The rest of the ingredients should be added at this point and allowed to reach a low boil. Allow to cook like that for about an hour or until the okra is tender.
