Homemade Beef Stew vs. Dinty Moore | Homemade Junk Food with the Husband

Can I recreate Dinty Moore beef stew for less money, better flavor, and not much more time or effort? Here's my recipe:

Serves 4-6

In a large pot (preferably with a heavy bottom) sear until browned:

-1 tsp oil
-1.5 pounds chuck beef cut into cubes
-(seasoned with about 1/2 tsp salt)

Add:

-1 medium onion, diced
-1/2 tsp salt

Sautee on medium heat until the onions are translucent, then add:

-2 carrots, peeled and diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced

Stir for about a minute until the garlic is fragrant. Then add:

-1 tsp black pepper
-2 cups broth or water

Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 2 hours. Visit the stew occasionally to stir it and make sure it's still simmering gently (adjust the heat as needed.)

Then add:

-2 large Yukon gold potatoes, diced

Simmer gently, covered, for another hour until the potatoes are cooked through and the beef cuts easily with a spoon.

Mix together in a cereal bowl:

-2 TBS butter
-2 TBS flour

Add the paste to the stew and stir until fully incorporated. This should thicken the stew. Make sure the stew is simmering and cook for a couple minutes. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve.

*Notes:

Extra possible additions for flavor:
1/4-1 tsp thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, or any other herb or spice you like
Fresh minced parsley
Replace 1/2 cup of the broth with red or white wine
A dash of worster sauce or oyster sauce
A tablespoon of tomato paste stirred in just after the onions

Extra possible vegetable additions:
-Turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, golden beets, sweet potatoes, celery root, tomatoes, beans (add these in either with or instead of the potatoes. Could also replace the carrots.)
-Kale, spinach, any other green you like, green peas, green beans, corn (add these in during the last few minutes of cooking for a bright note)

COST BREAKDOWN (this will of course vary):

1 ½ pounds chuck $11.99
1 medium yellow onion (1 cup diced) $0.28
2 carrots $0.16
1 tsp black pepper $0.08
1-2 tsp salt $0.02
2 cups broth $FREE
2 cups water $FREE
3 cloves garlic $0.15
2 large Yukon gold potatoes $0.42
Thickener (2 tbs flour, 2 tbs butter) $0.24

2700 cal total $13.34
900 cal of my stew: $4.45
38oz can (900 cal) dinty moore: $4.99

Homemade active cooktime: 30 min.
Dinty Moore active cooktime: 1 min.

Disclaimers: all opinions are my own, sponsors are acknowledged. Links in the description are typically affiliate links that let you help support the channel at no extra cost.

[SarahLovesFood]

I filmed most of this episode back in January so it feels good to finally get it done! 😅 I don't currently have anything filmed or planned for the next episode, so let me know if there's any processed food in particular you'd like to see homemade.

[khvillager]

Just wanted to point out, if you didn’t grow up with Dinty Moore beef stew back in the ‘80s or earlier, then you didn’t have the DM stew that old timers still remember so fondly. Not sure when things changed, today’s DM is a travesty, and shares virtually nothing with the original other than the brand name—not even the can itself!

[rogermartin]

Mom would have this for us in the winter...
Dirty Moore Beef Stew was great after coming home from sleding on a cold winters evening. 🎅

[sorrels]

I love homemade beef stew, but I can never get the beef tender enough. After watching this video I'm going to have to try again.

[RichardAugustMatthewMan]

Yes, you can, without the can, and without as much salt!

[SVMSICE]

I grew up with Dinty Moore too. I didn’t eat yours but I’m willing to bet yours is way better. Dinty Moore has gone down hill over the years. I’m not even sure how they can claim it has carrots in it anymore. Usually 3-4 carrot slices per can. Just ridiculous!!!

[toptobottomdetailing]

Thanks for the butter and flower trick

[tipoftheicebergicy]

We all know which one is healthier. It looked amazing 🤩

[shanaaraerainey]

You did great. I can’t stand canned food, I can actually taste the chemicals!

[barbarabartelme]

Enjoyed this video. Just a tip We have Sprouts nearby and they sell a lot of turkey. I found that during the week, they will have packages of turkey necks or backs very cheap and sometimes on clearance. The backs and necks have a lot of collagen that makes for a great broth.

[annafernando]

Sorry, Dinty Moore takes like I imagine dog food would. I'm sure your was far, far superior. I guess your hubby just got used to that canned food taste when he was young.

[cherylbglover]

The moore stew is a basic Irish stew. Makes sense since the guy who branded it was an Irish man who ran a pub and made this to serve. We use OXOS lime your beef bullion cubes bit stronger. I get around this by adding a little wostashir sauce

[Jimbo]

I stumbled onto this video accidently, but since I eat Dinty Moore Beef Stew regularly (2 or 3 times a month) I watched it front to back. I enjoyed the video, but I have to take exception to your comment that "homemade beef stew is not that much more time or effort" than Dinty Moore. That's crazy! I was watching something on TV this evening and when a commercial break came on. I grabbed a can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew from the pantry, dumped it into a bowl and stuck in the microwave for 3 minutes. When the microwave beeped, I grabbed a soup spoon and went back to my chair with a hot bowel of beef stew while the commercial break was still on my TV.
Was it the best beef stew I have ever eaten.... nope, but it was good. I would guess the prep & cooking time (if you did hit simmer the broth for 2-3 hours) would be 30 minutes, plus the 2-3 hour cook time. That isn't even the same hemisphere as Dinty Moore Beef Stew's roughly 3 1/2 minutes start-to-finish. Now I'm sure your beef stew is MUCH better than DM, but the prep and cooking time makes it a no-go for me. Nevertheless... Thank you for a great video!

[cashfrost]

I get the whole "can food" hang up, but DM beef stew is a staple for lot of people grew up with it and you're not going to convince them otherwise... At least not with the recipe being used here.

[ericaluna]

I definitely want to try your stew. I hate canned stew but I know a lot of people like it, beats me! I love your cat! 🐈😍

[craigmorris]

I really enjoyed your video, keep up the good work .I'll be back..Did you learn from family how to cook?You seem very knowledgeable.

[carmeninherlife]

I have some stew meat that I don’t know what to do, now I know!!

[stevencolonna]

You forgot the tomato paste and the mushrooms. The tomato paste gives it its color.
I've made my own vegetarian version. Just substitute the real meat with vegetarian hamburgers chopped up into cubes and sauteed.
I've tricked many people thinking that it was real beef.😜

[LouisNothing]

Nice looking recipe, but without the beef broth it's not going to taste like Dinty Moore. I've never heard of duck broth, but it sounds interesting. I make homemade Dinty Moore beef stew every once in a while, costs about $25, but i make about 24 cans worth. Also, I'm pretty sure the hubby was being generous with those numbers. 😉

[SmilingQuokka]

My husband is like yours and enjoys those canned stews. I like to make my own in my slow cooker. They taste so much better and less additives. I imagine yours tasted amazing compared to the Dinty Moore. 👌🏻