Hearty Meat Stew

Yeah, okay, I know I said before that I'm of Apache ancestry, but this recipe is borrowed from our fellow Native Americans, the Iroquois. I had found it online somewhere about ten years ago, and have made versions of it a couple of times because I like to tinker with recipes. The allspice is a necessity, however.

Iroquois Stew

1 lb. chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 lb. boneless pork roast, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 T. cooking oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1 c. baby carrots
2 bouillon cubes; one beef, one chicken
1/4 t. ground allspice
2 bay leaves

1. Heat 1 T. oil n pressure cooker (no lid). Brown meats in oil (with lid off), beginning with pork as one batch; remove from pan and set aside.
2. Next, add more oil and brown beef as second batch; then, chicken as last batch. (you're only browning each meat separately to conserve space and to use the heat effectively; they will be mixed in together a few steps later.)
3. Add more oil to pan and brown onions.
4. Return meats to onions in pan, and add carrots, celery, allspice, bay leaves and bouillon.
5. Add enough water to cover meat, but do not fill pressure cooker more than 2/3 full.
6. With heat on medium, bring contents to a low boil.
7. Put lid on pressure cooker and heat to bring up pressure. Allow to cook for 35 to 45 minutes at full pressure.
8. At end of time, turn off heat and carefully move pot to sink for a quick-cool in cold water. (i.e. set it in an empty sink and run cold water over it until pressure releases.)
9. Move pot to stove and carefully remove lid. Stir the stew gently to break up the meat a little.
10. Find and pick out those bay leaves!
11. I like to serve this over mashed potatoes, or over a nice big baked potato—it makes a lovely impression on the plate. I made this discovery when I ran out of room in the pressure cooker and could not add potatoes directly to the stew.
    

NOTES: Using the pressure cooker results in the best blending of flavors, in my opinion. But, you can make it in a Dutch oven, or crock pot, if you would rather. DO NOT add garlic to this recipe—it will come out bitter.