Baked Pumpkin Stew is a flavorful beef stew cooked and served in a sugar pie pumpkin. When serving, raise the ladle up with the stew scraping the sides of the pumpkin being sure to get a generous serving of pumpkin. A true taste of Fall!
To celebrate the Fall, pumpkin is so hot these days, and almost anything can be made with it. When I grew up in the 60s, pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread were the most popular recipes to make. These days that is not the case.
I have friends that make all sorts of recipes using pumpkin, Baked Pumpkin Stew being one of them. I love the fact that you cook and serve the stew in a hot sugar pie pumpkin tureen!
To ensure the perfect pumpkin tureen, pick out the right size pumpkin and one that is level on the bottom. Second, I recommend you brush the outside and top with cooking oil to help roast the pumpkin when cooking the stew.
Enjoy the beautiful flavors of Fall by making this Baked Pumpkin Stew. Chunks of meat are simmered with onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, and fresh herbs. Serve with Crusty Bread or in my case a pan of Southern Cornbread. And don't forget---Celebrate the Fall!
Baked Pumpkin Stew
Original Cooking with K Recipe
Ingredients:
10-12 lbs. large pumpkin or 2 (3-5 lbs.) sugar pie pumpkins each
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds of beef stew meat (venison stew meat can also be used)
1/4-1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1 1/2-2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 fresh thyme sprig (or 1 teaspoon of dry thyme)
1 or 2 bay leaves 4-6 potatoes, cubed
2-3 cups homemade beef broth (or canned) or water
1 cup white wine (optional)
vegetable oil for outside of the pumpkin
Directions:
Insert a sharp knife at the shoulder of the pumpkin to ensure the widest opening and enough height to hold the stew, and carve a hole in the top of the pumpkin using the cutout as the lid. Remove seeds and stringy inside the pumpkin; set aside.
In a large pot, over high heat, add the olive oil. In a mixing bowl, toss the beef with flour, garlic powder, coriander, salt, and pepper. When the oil is hot, sear the meat for 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally.
Remove browned meat from the pot; set aside.
Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and potatoes to the pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Deglaze the pan with homemade beef broth (or canned). Add the browned meat back into the broth with vegetables. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Bring the liquid up to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
Place pumpkin in a sturdy shallow pan, and ladle stew inside the pumpkin. Brush the outside of the pumpkin and lid with a light coating of oil. Place the top on the pumpkin.
Bake pumpkin and stew at 350 F. for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until pumpkin flesh is fork tender and can be scraped off the side of the pumpkin without it collapsing.
Cook's Notes:
Venison stew meat may be substituted for beef.
If you like more liquid and the liquid evaporates too much add a little more stock or water.
Before serving remove the thyme sprig and bay leaves.
Be sure when serving scrape on the sides of the pumpkin to get a generous serving of pumpkin with each ladle of the stew.
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