(Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free & Grain-Free)
Jump to RecipeI’m sure you have enjoyed beef stew for dinner at some point in your lifetime. But have you ever had a creamy beef stew? Until I started eating a low-carb diet, I hadn’t. But WOW! Is it good! I don’t know if I can even eat the average beef stew anymore.
This is the perfect meal on a cold winter’s day. In fact, this is exactly the kind of meal our ancestors would have made at this time of year.
Winter Meals
Although we are so accustomed to our refrigerators today, the refrigerator is actually a fairly new invention. The first domestic refrigerator was sold in the United States in 1918. So, for most of human history, winter meals were subject to whatever food stores remained from fall harvests.
Food was often stored in root cellars and often contained root vegetables, smoked or salted meats and other lacto-fermented foods that would keep for long periods of time. Common vegetables that might be found in such a root cellar include:
- Beets
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Celeriac
- Dry Beans
- Garlic
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Potatoes
- Pumpkins
- Rutabaga
- Sweet Potatoes
- Turnips
It’s no wonder soups and stews that contain these ingredients at this time of year seem so comforting. And it is no wonder that meals like this are generally only made during the colder months. I can’t imagine eating a stew in the middle of the summer, can you?
Creamy Beef Stew Ingredients
So, what’s in this creamy beef stew, you ask? You will need the following:
- Beef Stew Meat or Chuck Roast
- Himalayan Pink Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Butter or Avocado Oil
- Carrots
- Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Mushrooms
- Coconut Aminos
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Dried Rosemary
- Paprika Powder
- Juniper Berries or Bay Leaf
- Celeriac (Celery Root)
Beef
I generally purchase organic, grass-fed beef directly from a local rancher in bulk. However, if I do by chance buy beef in the store, I look for brands that not only say they are organic and grass-fed, but also hormone-free and antibiotic-free.
Whether an animal is grass-fed or grain-fed (i.e. fed corn or soy), determines the nutrient composition of its meat. Grass-fed beef:
- contains up to five times more Omega 3 fatty acids than grain-fed beef,
- contains much less monounsaturated fat than grain-fed beef,
- is considered richer in other antioxidants than grain-fed beef,
- contains twice as much conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than grain-fed beef and contains a higher content of vitamins A and E than grain-fed beef.
So, the quality of your meat really does matter when we are talking about beef! This is yet another reason to make your own food at home. You can make sure the quality is up to your standards.
Celeriac
When I first made this dish, I had never cooked with celeriac before. And I must say, it was quite intimidating! It is not the prettiest of vegetables. This root vegetable, also known as “celery root,” is a different variety of the celery that we are normally used to cooking with. It is cultivated specifically for its root rather than its stalk.
If eaten raw, such as in a salad, it is rather crunchy. When it is cooked, however, it becomes soft, similar to a potato. It is great in soups and stews, like this one. However, be sure to sauté it first and only add it to the stew during the last 15-20 minutes of cook time in the crock pot, or else it will become a bit mushy.
This stew freezes very well. Therefore, I often make a double or triple batch of this recipe and freeze it in large bowls. It, then, makes a very quick and nourishing meal on some future day. It can easily be reheated in the oven at 350⁰F for about 45 minutes.
This creamy beef stew tastes delicious topped with a dollop of paprika butter and a side salad. A hunk of buttered bread would also be a complement to this meal if you eat grains. I’m sure your whole family will love it as much as mine does!
Creamy Beef Stew (Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free & Grain-Free)
Equipment
- Crock Pot
- Large Skillet
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cups
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Beef Stew Meat or Chuck Roast, cubed
- 1 Tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 4 Tbsp Butter or Avocado Oil, to Coat Skillet (divided)
- 2 Carrots, sliced
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced (or 1 Tbsp)
- 8 Ounces Mushrooms, sliced
- 1 Tbsp Coconut Aminos
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Tbsp Dried Rosemary
- 1 Tsp Paprika Powder
- 3 Juniper Berries (or 1 Bay Leaf)
- 1 Pound Celeriac (Celery Root), peeled & cubed
Instructions
- Season cubed beef with salt and garlic powder.
- Coat large skillet with 2 tablespoons of melted butter or avocado oil. Fry meat until it is well seared. Transfer to crock pot.
- Add all vegetables and minced garlic to the skillet, except the celery root. Fry in beef juices for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Transfer to crock pot.
- Add all remaining seasonings, coconut aminos, and heavy whipping cream to the crock pot. Set the crock pot on LOW and cook for 6 to 8 hours.
- Approximately 30 to 45 minutes before stew is done, fry the celery root in a skillet in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, until golden brown. Season with additional salt and garlic powder, if desired. Transfer to crock pot.
- Continue to cook the stew on LOW for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve plain or with a dollop of paprika butter and a side salad.
Notes
- Calories 805.2
- Total Fat 52.2 g
- Saturated Fat 26.7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 8.4 g
- Cholesterol 275.0 mg
- Sodium 591.8 mg
- Potassium 536.3 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 21.2 g
- Dietary Fiber 4.8 g
- Sugars 5.4 g
- Protein 65.2 g
Have you made this creamy beef stew recipe? How did you like it? Please share below!
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