🍴 Kardea Brown's Beef and Okra Stew

 Kardea Brown's Beef and Okra Stew

• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 pound beef top sirloin or chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes 
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper 
• 1 tsp beef better-than-bouillon or 1 cube bouillon
• 1 large white onion, chopped 
• 6 cloves garlic, minced 
• Two 8-ounce cans tomato sauce 
• 1 cup beef stock, plus more as needed 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar 
• One 10 or 12-ounce package frozen okra 

Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Sprinkle the beef with pepper. Add the beef to the hot oil and cook, turning, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned. About 3 minutes more. Transfer beef to a plate and set aside.

Add the beef bouillon, onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beef stock, tomato sauce, tomato paste, ginger, sugar, 1 tsp pepper and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Season with salt. Return the beef to the pot, reduce to a simmer and cook until the meat is fork-tender - about 25 minutes. 

Add the okra and cook about 20 minutes. The okra will thicken the stew as it cooks. Add additional stock or water if the stew becomes too thick.