Good Brown Stew

Ingredients

For the stew base

• 2 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Flour, for coating the beef
• 1–2 Tbsp butter
• 5 cups hot water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar

For the vegetables

• 6 carrots, quartered
• 8 small onions
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths

For finishing

• Thickener for the gravy, type and quantity unspecified
• Dumplings, optional

Method