Cowboy Stew

A meaty, salty, smoky stew that will fill you right up.

Here at 12 Tomatoes, we’ve made Cowboy Chicken, Cowboy Salad, Cowboy Beans, and Cowboy Spaghetti, but I have to say that of alllll the “cowboy” themed dishes, this hearty soup is my very favorite. Packed with beans, potatoes, sweet corn, plenty of aromatics and three kinds of meat, it sticks to your ribs like chili, but has even more layers of flavor. It’s good eatin’ to a T.

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 2 (12 oz) packages kielbasa sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 (16 oz each) cans baked beans
  • 1 (7 oz) can chopped green chiles, undrained
  • 1 (15 oz) can sweet corn, undrained
  • 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup water
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
  2. Add sausage to bacon drippings and brown on both sides, reducing heat if needed. Remove to plate with bacon.
  3. Add beef and onion to pot and cook until beef is no longer pink. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  4. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle flour and chili powder over beef. Stir and cook 1 minute.
  5. Add tomatoes, baked beans, green chiles, corn, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
  6. Adjust seasoning as needed, add more water if stew is too thick, and serve with fresh parsley. Enjoy!