Family Stew (Жужи)

• 1 kg beef, cut into even cubes
• ½ kg onion, roughly chopped
• ½ kg carrot, cut into chunks or slices
• 0.3 kg bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 kg potato, cut into large cubes
• garlic, to taste
• 2 bay leaf, whole
• 1 tablespoon vegetable broth powder
• ajika, to taste
• 43 g salt
• 3 tablespoons oil
• water
• fresh herbs, chopped for serving

Preparation

1. Step 1

   1:31
   Weigh an empty cooking pot (example: 1.8 kg) to calculate total recipe weight later for salting. Cut beef into even cubes while still partially frozen for easier slicing.
2. Step 2

   4:16
   Heat oil in a large pot or skillet. Add cubed beef and roughly chopped onion. Brown meat and caramelize onion together until a good fond (зашквар) develops.
3. Step 3

   6:17
   Add enough water to deglaze the fond and cover the ingredients. Roughly chop carrots, bell pepper, and add them to the pot along with crushed garlic, bay leaves, vegetable broth powder, and ajika to taste.
4. Step 4

   10:11
   Weigh the pot with all current ingredients (example total around 4.7 kg before potatoes). Calculate and add salt at 0.7-1.2% of total weight (excluding pot weight); use 0.7% for milder taste suitable for children.
5. Step 5 · 1.5 hours

   11:03
   Bring to a simmer on low heat. Cook covered until meat is tender (about 1.5 hours for standard beef; adjust time based on meat type: 30 min for chicken, longer for tough cuts).
6. Step 6 · 20-30 minutes

   11:50
   Cut potatoes into large cubes. Add to the pot when meat is mostly tender. Simmer an additional 20-30 minutes until potatoes are cooked through but not mushy.
7. Step 7

   13:41
   Stir in chopped fresh herbs if desired. For best flavor, cool and refrigerate overnight before reheating and serving. The stew reheats well and can be frozen.