Recipe: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Beef Stew (copycat recipe)

CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE BEEF STEW
(copycat recipe)

1 portion Beef Stew Setup
3 quarts water
2 cans Veg-All mixed vegetables (The huge family size)

In pot add water and stew setup and cook on medium till setup is thawed. Drain Veg-All and add to stew mixture. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes.

Beef Stew Setup:
3 pounds onions
30 pounds thawed stew beef
1/2 gallon water
1/2 cup salt
6 tablespoons pepper
4 1/2 quarts diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
4 1/2 quarts tomato ketchup

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Cook on a medium boil for 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Divide into thirds for three portions of setup. You can freeze until it is needed.

Dry Mix for biscuits and dumplings:
15 pounds flour
46 ounces shortening

Blend mixture on low for 4 minutes. Shelf life 5 days

Biscuits (Wet Mix):
1/2 gallon buttermilk
1 heaping gallon (6 pounds 4 ounces) Dry Mix

Mix for 20 seconds on low in a blender. On a lightly floured table, spoon out 1/2 of the wet mix. With lightly floured hands, pat top and sides of dough. Knead no more than 4 times; roll dough to an even thickness. Relax dough by lifting all sides until it shrinks back evenly to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut biscuits out with a lightly floured cutter.

Bake at 475 degrees F for 7 to 10 minute or until lightly brown. Brush tops with melted margarine

TIPS**DO NOT USE MORE thank a light covering of flour on the biscuit table when rolling out wet mix. Excess flour will dry out the wet mix and keep the dough from sticking together during the second rollout.

**Remember to knead the dough no more than 4 times. Knead the dough just enough to make it rollable. This will keep the biscuits light a tender.

**The biscuits must be baked immediately after rollout.

Dumplings (12 pounds):
4 gallons water
12 ounces chicken base with pepper
Flour
Wet Mix (Above)

In a pot bring water and chicken base to a rapid boil. Work with 1/2 batch of wet mix on a heavy floured table, knead 30 times. Roll dough out to a 1/8 inch thickness. DO NOT RELAX THE DOUGH.

Flour the top of the dough heavily. Cut the dough into 2 inch squares; using a dough scrapper lift the dough squares into a pan. Keep the dough flat. Pour all dough into boiling broth at once. Separate gently with a spoon to encourage separation. Leave uncovered and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

**Broth will seem thin but it will thicken in a hot box in 40 minutes.

Source: All Easy Cookin' - 2002