If you’ve never heard of Poor Man’s Stew, you’re not alone. This is the most popular question I get about this recipe! Here’s the answer:
Poor Man’s Stew is just a folksy name for a stew made with ground beef or hamburger meat instead of more expensive cuts of beef, like chuck roast or round.
And that’s what makes it INCREDIBLY budget friendly. Because using ground beef in recipes costs a fraction of what you’d spend on other cuts. And since all the other ingredients are also inexpensive, you can make this recipe for just a few dollars.
This recipe is also known as hamburger stew or ground beef stew, so don’t let the name confuse you! I just call it this because delicious, healthy recipes don’t need to break the bank, and well, I just kind of like it!
Ingredients
1 lb Ground beef
1 ½ lb Potatoes, cut into pieces
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced
2 c Water
1 Onion, chopped
6 oz tomato paste, (I used a 6 oz can)
1 tsp Dried oregano
1 tsp Onion powder
2 tsp Minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
How To Make Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew
Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat, and drain the excess fat.
Place the ground beef into the slow cooker along with the potatoes, onions and carrots. Stir to combine.
In a bowl, whisk together the water, tomato paste, oregano, onion powder, minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the mixture over the meat and vegetables in the slow cooker.
Cook on low for 7 hours.
Serve with a side of bread if desired.