Shipwreck Stew: Revised From Original Recipe

I made this recipe from an old sailor galley recipe that has various ingredients, but modernized and minus some ghastly (today's standards) ingredients. Pirates and ship cooks would make stew out of anything they could find when ashore for fresh game and wild vegetables that were not already in casks aboard the ship.

1 pound stew meat – sirloin or chuck cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks

1 can chicken meat, drained and chopped

2 cups beef stock

1 medium onion, chopped or one tablespoon of minced onion

1 can of diced potatoes or 4 red potatoes cut into chunks with skin on

1 can kidney beans, undrained

1 cup green beans, diced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup broccoli

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced or 1/2-cup baby carrots cut in half or shredded in food processor

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

½ teaspoon Basil, dried flakes

½ teaspoon Thyme, dried

1 cup bacon chopped parts or chunks of smoked ham

½ teaspoon red pepper, dried flakes

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Put bacon chunks in skillet and cook on medium heat to medium-high heat until browned.
2. Drain excess grease and turn heat to medium and add beef and onion. Stir until beef is browned and mixed with bacon. If using ham, brown beef first in the skillet and then add ham. Take off heat and put in the bottom of a Crock Pot or Dutch oven with heat on high.
3. In a bowl, mix the beef stock with garlic basil, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper; whisk until blended. Put in Crock Pot and stir.
4. Add carrot, beans, broccoli, tomatoes, potatoes, and chopped chicken. Stir until mixed.
5. Cook at high for one hour in Crock Pot; then turn to low and cook for 5 to 6 hours.

Makes 6 to 10 servings and is great as leftover. Serve with biscuits or dinner rolls.

NOTE: If you want Caribbean pirate Shipwreck Stew, add 1/3 cup Jamaican rum. Salt was not added because bacon/ham is salty. I made the mistake the first time of adding 1/2-teaspoon salt.