Beef Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon

Yes, bacon! The combination of bacon and sweet potatoes make this unlike any stew you have ever had! The best part? There is no precooking like the Paleo Chili, you just dump the ingredients and go!!

What you need:

• homemade, paleo bone broth (check out THIS easy way to make it!), approximately 28-32 oz
• 2.5 lbs of stew meat
• 2 carrots, cut @ 1/2"
• 2 celery sticks, cut
• 2-3 medium sweet potatoes, cut to 1" half circles (any smaller and they will fall apart)
• 5-6 pieces of bacon, cut @ 1/2" chunks
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1 tsp each, salt and pepper

What you do:

1. Turn crockpot on low. 
2. Pour in homemade bone broth. 
3. Add half the meat, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, and bacon. 
4. Add thyme, salt and pepper. 
5. Add the other half of all ingredients. 
6. Mix well to combine. 
7. If your ingredients are too high up over the liquid, you can add a little water. 
8. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. 
9. If you like a thick stew, you can add 1 tbsp coconut flour at the end. 

Yes, we like sweet potatoes! 

Homemade Broth

Nutrient dense, homemade broth is very easy and inexpensive to make! It's also a great way to use the bones from whole chickens, steaks, turkeys, etc. There are a lot of benefits to making your own broth, especially from a health perspective. It is a great source of the amino acids needed for healthy connective tissue.  The Paleo Mom has a great article on these two amino acids. It's also great to have on hand for when someone is sick.

There are several places to get good, quality bones:

• Save them from when you roast or bake chicken, turkey, goose, duck or when you grill steaks. 
• Go to the market and purchase neck bones, marrow, and any other leftovers that the butcher may have on hand. I know at Kroger, they prepackage them and are in the beef section. 
• Online at Tropical Traditions or US Wellness Meat. 

What you need:

• 2 lbs or more of bones from chicken, cow, turkey, lamb, bison (any healthy source)
• 2 carrots, cut in large chunks
• 1 onion, cut in large cunks
• 2 celery sticks, cut in large chunks
• 1.5 tbsp bay leaves
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper
• water

What you do:

1. Start by collecting bones and carcasses from meals. You can also purchase them at any of the above mentioned places. 
2. Place bones/carcasses in crockpot. 
3. Add chopped up veggies. I noted to cut them up in large chunks because you will have to spoon them out later. 
4. Add enough water to cover bones and vegetables. 
5. Add bay leaves, salt and pepper. 
6. Stir or mix with hands until well combined. 
7. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. I have never experimented with cooking on high. You want this to sit for a long time so that the nutrients from the bones have time to simmer. 
8. Once finished, scoop out vegetables and bones/carcasses. 
9. If I am making this well in advance of using, I pour the broth into ice cube trays and once frozen, store in a ziploc bag. If you make it the day before you are using it, you can store in an air tight container and keep in the refrigerator.