Crockpot Cowboy Stew Recipe

Cowboy stew is a fun, tangy recipe that is super delicious and easy to make. This recipe used canned potatoes -- which to my kids look like dinosaur eggs! You can make it super spicy by adding lots of jalapeños, or you can tone it down.

Feel free to add lots of cheese and sour cream, too! Originally posted during my Year of Slow Cooking challenge.



Day 197.

This recipe came from Headless Mom, and the second I read it I knew I needed to make it because I liked the name. 

I am excited to meet Headless Mom at the BlogHer conference in a few days to see if she looks in person the way that I have imagined her to. 

Probably not. I envision a Headless Horseman character, but instead of a pumpkin tucked under her neck, it's a Donna Reed-type mom with pearls.

[link to the Headless Mom site removed; it's no longer active.]

Now we're all going to have nightmares...

but not over this stew. This stew is hearty and has a nice kick to it; real comfort food.

There are two ingredients pictures because I got a bit overwhelmed answering and reading email yesterday and forgot to put some stuff in there at first. 

You guys are so much fun. And a little bonkers.

The Ingredients.

Serves about 8

1 pound browned hamburger (can use turkey)

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 can tomato sauce

1 can diced Italian seasoned tomatoes

1 can corn, drained

2 cans whole baby potatoes, drained (unless you can find a great big can of potatoes)

1 can tomatoes with green chilies (rotel)

1 can Ranch Style beans (with the baked beans in the grocery store) (or see recipe below)

1 cup water

--sliced jalapeno peppers for garnish (optional)

The Directions.

This makes a lot. Make sure that your crockpot is at least 5qts.

Brown the hamburger with the chopped garlic cloves on the stove top. Drain the fat. Let sit in the pan for a bit to cool.

Open all of you cans, and dump them into the crockpot. Drain the corn and the potatoes, but add the rest of the can liquid to the crockpot.

After adding all of the can contents, add the browned meat and a cup of water. Stir with a spoon to mix a bit.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5. Soup and stew tastes better the longer you cook it, so opt for the longer cooking time if you can.

Garnish with sliced jalapeno peppers, if desired.

Recycle your cans!

Can't Find Ranch Beans at your grocery store? No Problem!!
simply mix together:

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans (plus the goop!)

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vinegar (white or apple cider)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

The Verdict.

I had never before bought canned potatoes, or the Ranch Beans, which intrigued me about this recipe. 

Headless Mom says that if you use "real" potatoes they will disintegrate in the crockpot. 

I believe she's right. These stayed perfectly oval in shape, and looked like baby dinosaur eggs.

I really liked the flavor of this stew. It reminded me of taco soup, but the flavors were more subtle. I liked the texture of the broth vs. the chunky ingredients.

The kids picked out what they wanted, and didn't complain. They really liked the beans, and thought the floating potatoes were cool. We will have this for lunch for quite a few days.

Adam and I both wanted a sliced jalapeno in each bite---they gave a really nice tangy spice to the meal.

Thank you, Headless Mom! We will definitely make this again!

Next year.


Like this one? Here are some more great Clean out the Pantry Meals!

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