Pumpkin Beef Stew

This recipe makes approximately 20 cups of stew.

Directions:

1. Cut the beef into 1 inch (or smaller) chunks. Dredge the beef in the flour until all of the beef sides are covered.
2. In a large stock pot, bring it to medium high heat and add a little bit of the beef broth. In small quantities, brown the beef on all sides, removing the browned meat and setting aside as you go. Add more beef broth as needed to help keep the meat from sticking to the pot. 
3. Sauté the onion and garlic for one minute, scraping the bottom of the pot as you stir. 
4. Return the browned beef to the pot and add the beef stock, pumpkin puree, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. 
5. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the potatoes, carrots, and thyme sprigs to the pot, increase heat to medium and cook for an additional 30 minutes. 
7. Cool completely, then remove thyme sprigs. 
8. Add parchment paper to your trays, and spread the stew evenly across the trays, add dividers to help portion and evenly freeze dry. 
9. Freeze until frozen solid.
10. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 36 hours)

Rehydration:

To rehydrate one serving, place 2 cups of freeze-dried stew in a bowl and add 1 to 1½ cups of hot water. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef and vegetables are tender and the liquid is absorbed to your liking.

Notes:

One serving is about 2 cups of stew, this recipe makes 10 servings of stew.

Nutritional Value Per 1 serving

Calories: 322   Protein: 20 g   Fat: 12 g   Carbohydrates: 34 g   Sugar: 4 g   Fiber: 4 g

Cycle times & rehydration for reference only. Your results may vary.