Beef Pupusas

I only canned a modest amount of chuck this time because I'm still figuring out how to use it.  Canned meat other than tuna was not a thing in my life growing up.  And now it's too expensive to screw up.  Seasoned pulled beef in a pupusa sounded really good.

If you aren't into pressure canning, this recipe works just fine with store-bought canned beef or any leftover shredded beef you have.  Leftover taco or neutral ground beef can also work.  The key is that it should be pre-cooked.

I was hungrier than I expected to be coming home from work.  These are not pretty.  Somewhere around #3 I gave up and just made them edible.  I had made the curtido in the morning and the beans were my pre-seasoned ones that just needed warming.  I dumped the last half cup of filling that I didn't use into the beans and called it a day.  I really need to figure out a new cooking-day schedule that does not include any closing shifts or changes those to slow cooker or cold meals.

1 C masa harina
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 C water
1 12 oz *can beef, or 1/2 lb cooked chuck or ground beef
taco seasoning or 1/2 tsp each paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper
oil for the griddle

1.  Stir together masa and salt.  Add water and stir into a slightly dry paste.  There will be moisture in the meat, so you don't want the dough to be wet.  Set aside.

2.  In a skillet on medium, warm beef with seasonings.  Cook until fragrant and excess juices have evaporated.  Allow to cool slightly.

3.  Lightly oil a skillet or griddle and preheat over medium while you shape the pupusas.

4.  Divide the masa into 8 balls for small pupusas or 4 for large.  Shape into a disc.  Place meat into the middle and close back into a ball.  Flatten again into a disc 1/2" thick.  Place on heated griddle.

5.  Cook pupusas until lightly golden, about five minutes, then flip and cook the other side.  Re-oil between batches and repeat until all are cooked.  Serve warm, with curtido, salsa, and/or sour cream.

Difficulty rating  :)

Beef Stew with Pasta

This started out as a pot pie from scratch.  Then I was scheduled to work seven days in a row.  I considered buying a tube of biscuits for the crust.  Then I could barely get out of bed when I did have a day off, and it turned into opening cans, a packet of gravy powder, and pouring it over pasta.  Wow, good choice.

With beef prices scary, canned beef is an increasingly affordable option.  This happens to be chuck that I canned myself, but I have bought roast beef in a can that was very good.  It's less than a pound, usually 12 oz including the gravy, and has plenty of flavor.  If you happen to have leftover shredded or cubed beef, it is excellent for this stew.

1 Tb oil
*1/2 C diced onion
*4 C vegetables of choice (I used one can of mixed veggies and 2 C frozen green beans)
*1 12 oz can beef or 1-1/2 C leftover cooked beef
1 packet beef gravy mix
*4-6 oz linguine or other flat pasta

1.  Start heating water for the pasta in a large pot.  In a separate pot, heat the oil over medium.

2.  Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the vegetables and meat and bring to a simmer.  I do not recommend using potatoes unless they were pre-cooked.  The simmer time will only be about ten minutes.

3.  While the pasta is cooking, combine gravy packet and 1 cup of water.  You can do less for a thicker gravy.  I used the water from the canned vegetables to start and made up the rest.  Stir into the vegetables and bring to a boil for two minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.  It takes 2-3 minutes.

4.  When pasta is ready, drain and plate.  Ladle a heaping amount of stew onto each portion and serve hot.

Difficulty rating  π

Hummus and Shaved Steak on Naan

I liked the shaved steak that I cooked up for the Philly Cheesesteak strudel, then went looking for something else to do with it.  This wasn't something I found, but other spice combinations inspired it.  Namely, I made a fantastic pot of canned pinto beans with spices that I wished I had blogged.  I was just throwing something in with them for a nothing meal, but they were delicious.  Next time.  This is a slightly more Mediterranean-themed spice mix in an attempt to recreate that effect.

Now, I did this the hard way.  I made a lovely stack of naan and a small batch of Lebanese-style creamy hummus when I saw the prices for these items at the market.  The average person will buy them and just cook the beef.  That's what I'm going to assume here for the purpose of this recipe.

It did get a little messy to eat.  Making a pita sandwich out of it may have worked better.  The second day, I cut the naan in quarters first and ate it like pizza.  Still needed a fork for whatever fell off, but slightly less of an ordeal.

4 individual-sized naan
about 3/4 cup hummus
*14 oz shaved steak or one pound 80/20 ground beef
1 Tb olive oil
1/4 tsp each salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, pepper, turmeric, and allspice
1/2 tsp each paprika and cumin
1 Tb dried parsley or 1/4 C fresh

1.  Mix all of the dry spices, including the salt, into a spice mix.  Drizzle the oil in a medium skillet and sprinkle with half of the spices.  Warm on medium heat until fragrant.

2.  Add the meat, then top with remaining spice mix.  Cook until fully browned, turning and breaking it up frequently.  This will take about ten minutes.

3.  While the meat is cooking, prepare the bases.  If desired, warm the naan.  Spread each with a generous amount of hummus, 2-3 tablespoons.

4.  Once the meat is fully cooked, work in the parsley for a minute or so.  Top the breads with the hot meat mixture and serve.

Difficulty level  π

Philly Cheesesteak Strudel

I forget what recipe I was watching online when this idea came into my head.  I haven't made a savory strudel in a long time, and was pleased that there are a lot of variations of this online.

I'm choosing to use crescent rolls here, but puff pastry is a perfect alternative.  And less sticky to work with.  I went on a coupon binge at Ralphs, which included some Pillsbury and the shaved beef I'm using here.  You can also use pre-cooked deli roast beef, but shaved or thinly sliced beef is more traditional.

As long as we're talking traditional Philly, the provolone is borderline.  Cheese Whiz or American is slightly more authentic.  I prefer provolone or white cheddar, which are more popular outside Philly itself.  I get grilled onions on mine, but that's all the add-ons I believe in.  If you want to sauté up some pepper strips or mushrooms, go ahead.  In my book, that makes it a fajita on a bun.

1 Tb oil
*1/2 onion, thinly sliced 
8 oz thin slice or shaved steak
salt and pepper to taste
1 8-count package crescent rolls or 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
flour for rolling
4 slices provolone cheese

1.  Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add onion slices and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2.  Add beef to the pan and continue to cook until done, moving it around frequently.  Season with salt and pepper and stir again.  Set aside to cool at least 15 minutes.

3.  Preheat oven to 375º while you prepare the roll.  Open the crescents or defrosted puff pastry and roll into a rectangle 12" x 16", using flour as necessary.  If using crescents, you may have to pinch shut the perforations.  Place on prepared baking sheet.

4.  Place beef mixture along the center of the long ways of the pastry.  Top with the slices of cheese.

5.  Cut 1" slits along each side of the meat, then fold over the middle to make a kind of braid design.  If you want a shiny finish, brush with an egg wash.  I left mine plain.

6.  Bake until the pastry is cooked through, approximately 18-20 minutes.  Allow to rest ten minutes before slicing.  Serve while still hot.

Serves 4 as a main, 8 as an appetizer

Difficulty rating  π

French Onion Slow Cooker Pulled Beef

This was something I threw together on a whim when I needed a Crockpot meal to come home to.  Leftover French onion soup from the sandwiches and a pound of beef roast I got on clearance sounded like something I could do with one minute of prep in the morning.  I took photos in case I wanted to post it, but thought they'd be trashed by the end of the day.

Oh no, this is getting posted.  It's considerably more prep when you make the soup first.  It takes at least half an hour to caramelize the onions.  But once you've made the small quantity of soup needed to braise the meat, everything goes in the slow cooker and you can leave it for hours.

*2 C beef broth
1 onion
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 lb beef roast of choice

1.  To caramelize the onion, heat the oil in a wide pan over medium-low heat.  Peel the onion and slice thinly .  Scatter in the pan and sprinkle with salt.  Slowly cook, stirring every five minutes or so, until a browned jammy mess.  This will take at least half an hour.

2.  Add broth and thyme to the onions.  Stir and add salt or other seasonings as desired to make the "soup".  You can also add a touch of red wine if desired.  This portion of the meal can be done the day before.

3.  Early in the day, transfer the soup to a small (max 2.5 qt) slow cooker.  If necessary, cut the roast into pieces so it fits comfortably in the crock.  The liquid should come at least halfway up the sides of the meat.  Set on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4.

4.  Once meat is falling apart when pierced by a fork, it is done.  You can shred it either inside the crock or on a cutting board.  Can be served on its own, over potatoes or noodles, or as a French dip with the cooking broth on the side.

Difficulty rating  π

Feta and Herb Burgers

I was close to heating up the grill for these, then got lazy and cooked them on the griddle instead.  It always feels silly to do a round of charcoal for a pound of meat.  I'm the one who chose that kind of grill instead of propane, so it's on me.

I had four ounces of feta in the fridge and decided that burger night would be a cheesy version of keftas.  I tend to prefer seasoning the meat so that I don't need a sauce.  Sometimes I'll put one on anyway for texture, but it doesn't need it.  That's also why my burger photos tend to show just the patty and bun, without any vegetables.  That's what the side salad is for.

1 lb ground beef (80/20 or 85/15)
*1/2 C chopped parsley
*1/2 C chopped cilantro
*2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp pepper
*4 oz crumbled feta cheese

1.  In a bowl, combine meat with the herbs and spices.  It's going to take a minute to knead everything evenly.  Add the feta and mix again to distribute.  Keep some small chunks of feta in the mix.  Chill for one hour to allow flavors to meld.

2.  Prepare your cooking method of choice.  A: heat up a grill.  B: start the oven broiler.  C: Heat a griddle on the stove over medium heat.

3.  Shape the meat into four patties.  It's going to take a minute.  The leafy herbs will make it difficult to get all the meat to stick together.  Place the patties on the grill, roasting rack, or griddle.  Cook until 165º in the middle, flipping halfway through.  Serve hot on toasted buns.

Difficulty rating  :)

Beef and Eggplant Rolls

This is actually about using more tomatoes, if only for the sauce.  Something similar came up in my YouTube feed, so I went looking for recipes.  My recommendations are now eggplant cooking channels.  Sigh.  Many of the recipes were by Jewish bloggers, serving this on the High Holy Days.  Good timing.  Ok, I decided to top them with mozzarella, so this version is no longer kosher, but everything up to that point is.

While I didn't grow the 50 pounds of tomatoes it would take to break even on the new pots and soil, I probably grew 10 lbs of them.  That's more than I was expecting.  I wouldn't have spent $3 per pound on vine-ripened tomatoes for this, but it was a great way to use a sudden glut off several plants, plus some of the tomato paste pucks I had frozen.

I don't shop often at Trader Joe's, but went over to the eggplant barrel while I was there for some olives and an apple.  They were huge and half the price of everywhere else, so I got two for this recipe.  Did not take into account that they were too wide for the V-slicer.  Even slicing imperfectly by hand, I only needed one for this recipe and ended up roasting the other into baba gannouj.

This recipe has a lot of components.  Wish I had thought that through and made some of it in advance.  You could also use a small jar of pasta sauce instead of making your own.  Again, every recipe for the foreseeable future is going to be tomato-related.

*1 lb lean ground beef (90% or higher)
kosher salt and cracked pepper as needed
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp allspice
*1/4 C chopped parsley
*1/4 C chopped cilantro
1 Tb fresh or 1 tsp dried mint
*2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
olive oil as needed
*1/2 red onion, diced
*1 carrot, diced
*1 rib celery, diced
*1 Tb fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
*1-1/2 lbs fresh tomatoes, diced, or one 28 oz can crushed
*2 Tb tomato paste
*2 Tb Marsala or Port, optional
1 C shredded mozzarella, optional

1.  In a bowl, knead together ground beef, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, paprika, cumin, allspice, chopped parsley, chopped cilantro, mint, and one minced clove of garlic.  Refrigerate for an hour while you do the rest of the prep.

2.  Preheat oven to 400º.  Cut off the cap of the eggplant and slice lengthwise into slabs less than half an inch thick.  Ideally, you will have 8 slices so each gets 2 oz of meat.  Lay on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Brush lightly with olive oil, bearing in mind that eggplant is a sponge and you don't want to add too much.  Flip and do the other side.  Then sprinkle lightly with salt.  Roast for 15 minutes, flip the pieces, and roast an additional 5 minutes.  You want them flexible and only half cooked.  Set aside to cool.

3.  While the eggplant is roasting, start the sauce.  Drizzle about 2 Tb of oil into a saucepan and heat over medium.  Add diced onion, celery, and carrot and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add one clove minced garlic, the basil, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Bring to a low boil and cook until everything softens together into a sauce, about half an hour.  If desired, use an immersion blender to smooth it out.  Add wine, if using, and allow the alcohol to boil off.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

4.  To assemble, turn the oven down to 350º.  Ladle half a cup of the sauce into a 9x13 casserole and spread it around to coat the bottom.

5.  Divide the meat into however many slices of eggplant you have.  Spread thinly and cover as much of the eggplant surface as you can.  Roll up from the cap end to the round one and place, seam-side down, in the dish.  Repeat with all the slices and meat.

6.  Pour remaining sauce over the rolls.  Bake until a thermometer reads 165º when inserted into the thickest roll, about 40 minutes.  If desired, pull the casserole out when they reach 140º and sprinkle with cheese.  Replace and continue to bake to temp.  Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Difficulty rating  :-0 ( :) if you use a jar of sauce)

Roast Beef Quesadillas

Before attempting to can beef, I decided to buy a can to find out if it's something I even want.  Finding a recipe for it turned out to be the hard part.  I could have done a French dip sandwich, but most of the other recipes I found were either stews or Mexican.  Canned chicken, I can come up with plenty of ideas.  Most of my pork butt recipes are crockpot, so they would also work with canned.  Beef seems to be much harder to use, mainly because there are no cold recipes for it.  I'm glad I did this before canning a roast.  I'm going to have to think that one over.

I didn't realize Taco Bell discontinued the MexiMelt until I wanted one.  Ok, fine, I'll make it myself.  This came out slightly better than their ground beef version.  I always thought there was too much spice and not enough substance in the MexiMelt, but they were cheap and filling.

I don't buy Taco Seasoning because I don't make Mexican very often.  Maybe once a month.  There are just so many cuisines to try, and with four servings of a recipe, I'm only cooking about eight times a month.  I've considered smaller recipes and cooking more often, but ingredients tend to be sold in packages between 3 and 5 servings.  That's the whole reason I started cooking this way in the first place.  It's much easier than ending up with a ton of half-filled bottles and jars in the fridge.  So, I'm just going to call this "taco seasoning" in the recipe and you should know that I used paprika, garlic powder, and all those kinds of spices that go into the commercial blend.

I debated a long time about what cheese to use.  Jarred nacho dip, Velveeta, and Campbell's cheese soup are the most logical options.  American cheese slices are close behind.  I never buy any of those, and simply couldn't justify picking up an ingredient I don't use and would need to find recipes for until it was gone.  I ended up using the shredded cheddar/jack I keep for omelets.

8 fajita-size tortillas
1 *12 oz can roast beef, drained (or leftover roast beef or 80/20 ground beef, cooked)
1 Tb taco seasoning
*1 Roma tomato, diced
*2 Tb diced red or green onion
1 C processed cheese, melted, or shredded "Mexican" cheese

1.  In a skillet, heat meat with taco seasoning and break apart into small pieces.  I have to say, I was severely disappointed that so little meat was left once I drained away the broth.  That's supposed to be at least three servings?  I'm pretty sure there would be a lot more in a pint jar if I did can my own, so if I ever decide to continue using canned beef, I'm doing it myself.

Seriously?

2.  Combine diced onion and tomato into a quickie pico.  You can also add cilantro to it if desired, but I skipped that part.

3.  Lay out the tortillas on a work surface.  Sprinkle each with 2 Tb cheese, whether shreds or spooning on melted.  Distribute the meat among the tortillas.  It doesn't look like a lot, but you do taste it.  Divide the salsa on all 8.

4.  Preheat a griddle over medium.  Fold the tortillas in half and heat until the tortilla is lightly browned and crispy and the cheese and meat have melted together, about 5 minutes per side.  Serve hot.

Difficulty rating  π

Korean-Inspired Meatballs

I wanted to have a bit of a fusion meal with Korean-ish meatballs and kimchi in a pita with a little Bibigo sauce.  The pita got a tiny bit soggy, but the flavors were what I had in mind.

I'm really enjoying being able to pull a ginger puck out of the freezer whenever I want fresh ginger in a recipe.  It takes about 15 minutes to defrost at room temperature if I forget to do it properly the night before in the fridge.  They've been going in stir fry and chai tea for the most part.  Totally worth the effort.

Since I had already gotten the food processor dirty making breadcrumbs, I mixed everything except the meat in it.  Then, after pouring the seasoning mix on the meat, realized I had forgotten the cilantro.  It did make mixing everything evenly much easier.

I didn't get the gochujang paste.  Thought about it.  Had the jar in my hand.  Then decided that one recipe plus one or two batches of kimchi a year weren't enough to make the it worth the space in the fridge.  I subbed chili powder, and it worked just fine.

1 lb 80/20 ground beef
1/2 C panko breadcrumbs
2 green onions, thinly sliced
*2 Tb cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
*1 Tb minced ginger
1 egg
1 Tb soy sauce
2 Tb gochujang or 1 tsp chili powder
Korean BBQ sauce for serving

1.  If using a food processor, ignore all the stuff about mincing.  Run a stale piece of bread through it to make the breadcrumbs.  Then add everything except the meat and run again.

2.  Knead together all ingredients and allow to sit in the fridge 30 minutes to meld.  This can also be done early in the day.

3.  Preheat oven to 350º and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil.  I reused a challah piece of parchment, and it worked fine.

4.  Shape meat into balls about 1 oz, or a generous tablespoon.  I used the 1 Tb cookie scoop, rounded, and got 20.  Place balls on lined sheet at least 1" apart.

5.  Bake 15-20 minutes, until well browned and a thermometer reaches 165º.  Allow to cool 10 minutes so they don't fall apart when you try to move them.  Serve as desired, with a Korean-themed sauce, over rice, with kimchi or veggies, etc.

Difficulty rating  π

Cranberry Sliders with Caramelized Onion

This is a little bit of a cut and paste with other recipes I've posted.  I still had some apple cranberry rolls in the freezer and one last jar of cranberry ketchup in the pantry.  The idea of pairing them with caramelized onions on a burger was too good to pass up.  After all, that's essentially what cranberry brisket is.

The onions do take a long time to make.  This isn't a last-minute dish, despite looking like it.  The good news is that you can make the onions ahead of time, say the day before, and warm them up for serving.  And of course, you don't have to do these as sliders.  They still serve four as a regular burger.

1 medium onion
1 Tb butter
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper as needed
1 lb 80/20 ground beef
1/4 C cranberry sauce or cranberry ketchup
8 slider rolls

1.  Cut in half and thinly slice the onion.  The slices don't have to be perfect, but they do need to be thin and fairly consistent.  Heat the butter and oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the onion slices and sprinkle lightly with salt.  I did not add sugar because the sauce is sweet.

2.  Stir slices enough to coat with the fat and walk away for 15 minutes.  Stir and let soften 15 minutes again, then start coming back every 5 minutes to check until desired golden goodness is reached.  Remove from heat.

3.  Season ground beef with salt and pepper to taste.  Portion out into 8 balls, then flatten into patties.  These can be grilled, but I did them in the oven on a flat baking rack.  If baking, set oven to 400º.  Flip once when they appear medium-rare, then switch to the broiler setting to get a bit of char for a few minutes.

4.  To assemble, toast buns if desired.  Place a patty on the bottom of the roll, smear with cranberry sauce or ketchup, and top with a generous amount of caramelized onions.  Serve with a side salad or slaw.

Difficulty rating  :)

All-Day Chili

Ok, I'm not going to get into any arguments about the "real" chili, or if there should be beans in it, or if tomatoes belong in chili in the first place.  If you want an in-depth discussion of the history of chili, I recommend Max Miller's Tasting History.  That's not what I'm making today.

What I'm making here started with Natasha's Kitchen, since it was listed as a proper slow cooker chili.  It's also almost identical to the one in the low-carb nutrition book I bought.  Then I changed it to accommodate my own preferences and tiny Crockpot.  Because that's really what chili is.  Chili is the sauce, however you like it.  The solids are there to give you an excuse to eat the sauce.

The nice part about this recipe is that it's about 10 minutes of work in the morning and you get a hot dinner in the evening.  While I used the slow cooker, this post will also give stovetop and oven instructions.  I've only had the Crockpot for a few months, and still think in other modes of cooking.

A special note, only use canned beans in this recipe.  You will not be cooking above the boiling point, so they won't get done.  Especially if you use red beans, which must be boiled at least 20 minutes of their cooking time to eliminate a toxin.  It's also why I'm having you rinse the kidney beans instead of dumping in the can.  Just in case.

*1 lb ground beef, 80/20 or leaner
1/2 onion, diced
*1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 Tb chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
1 15oz can kidney (or other favorite bean), rinsed
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
*1 Tb tomato paste
water as needed
toppings for serving, like shredded cheese, avocado, jalapeños, sour cream, cilantro, etc

1.  If using, place liner in slow cooker.  You'll thank me later.  Actually, if you're using the oven, it couldn't hurt to place a roasting liner in a 2-3 qt casserole.  If using oven, preheat to 175º, or the lowest setting you can.  The meat needs to cook to 165º, and hold above 135º.  Everything else in this dish is either cooked already after step 2 or doesn't need to be.

2.  In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef and break into crumbles.  I have a hack for draining off the excess fat.  When about 75% of it has been rendered, hold a mesh strainer over the trash and pour off the liquids into it.  Then, any meat that falls will be caught.  Return to skillet and add onion, garlic, and spices, which will cook in any last-minute fat that renders off the meat.  Cook until meat is browned and onion is softened, another 5 minutes.

3.  Add meat mixture to prepared casserole (or 4 qt saucepan).  Stir in drained kidney beans, tomatoes in their juice, and tomato paste.  If necessary, add water to about 1/2" below ingredients.  Stir together.  For stovetop, cover and set at lowest heat for 4-6 hours (also for slow cooker on high setting).  For low oven or slow cooker on low setting, cook 6-8 hours.  If you're around, stir and check water level every few hours.  If you are going to be gone all day, maybe start with more water to allow for evaporation.

4.  When ready to serve, stir thoroughly and have plenty of garnishes available.

Difficulty rating  π

Beef Cholent

So as long as I have a slow cooker, it's time to tackle cholent for real.  I found a recipe I liked as a starting point on Fit Slow Cooker Queen.  It was heavier on the beans than I prefer in a stew, and did not include chickpeas.  I made a few other adjustments and went shopping.

When it came time to put everything in the Crockpot, I realized just how tiny mine is.  I got in half the veggies I had bought, and it was almost half full.  The meat brought it to 3/4, and I still had two cans of beans plus barley to go.  This was when I was glad to be starting it at 5:30am.  It gave me plenty of time to rearrange priorities.  The chickpeas were from dry, so they went in the crock.  I cooked the barley separate.  The kidney beans were canned and could go in after everything was cooked.  So, even for this half-recipe, you're going to need a 3 quart or larger crock.

You don't actually need a slow cooker to make this.  It can go in the oven at 225º or on the stove at the lowest simmer.  But it's going to take the same amount of time, a minimum of 8 hours.  That's how I made things like this pre-Crockpot.  It just always felt silly to have the oven all day for such a small casserole.

I have to say, the best part of this for me was the potatoes cooked in the broth.  I'm not a huge potato person, but I really loved the taste.  I added water, not beef broth, and it still had just the right amount of beefiness in it.  The soy and tomato paste accent the umami of the beef, so you don't really need the broth.

1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb potatoes, cut in bite-sized chunks
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced in rounds
*1 lb beef stew meat, such as brisket or chuck roast
*1 Tb tomato paste
*1/4 C soy sauce
1 can chickpeas
1 can red kidney beans
1/2 C barley
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
water or low-sodium beef broth as needed

1.  Place onion, potatoes, and carrots in bottom of slow cooker or pot.  Cut beef into 2" cubes and add as the next layer.  Rinse chickpeas, kidney beans, and barley and add next.

2.  Sprinkle on pepper, tomato paste, paprika, and cumin.  Pour soy sauce over, then add water or broth to cover everything by about 1/2".  The barley is going to suck up a lot of it.

3.  Set cooker on low, or simmer on lowest stove heat or in oven at 225º.  Stir every couple of hours, and add water if necessary.  Cook 8-12 hours.  Serve hot.

Difficulty rating  :)