This stew was made by the cookie at times when the chuck wagon wasn't moving and had the time to make it. It will also work well in a crock pot or even in the oven.

Lay three or four slices of bacon across the bottom of the pot or Dutch oven. Cut beef and everything else into bite-size chunks and put in a layer on top of the bacon. Scrape and cut carrots and they go on top of the beef, next comes celery if you have it and finally potatoes which should just about fill the pot. Salt and pepper and you can add some bay leaves, jalapeños, garlic cloves, a squirt of W sauce or whatever else for seasoning. Pour a big can of tomato juice (or V-8) over it and put the lid on. Lower it into the fire hole on top of the coals and toss a saddle blanket over it. If you are using a crock pot, set it on low or a regular pot into a 225° oven.
Spend the day cutting and branding calves, fixing fence or plowing the north forty or whatever you need to do till about supper time and your stew will be ready.

Source : Jim Foreman pantry challenge yahoo group
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