Mutton Stew Recipe – The Fancy Navajo

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There is nothing better than a delicious bowl of soup to soothe the soul.

On a hot or cold day, soup always brings such comforting feelings. It’s also very versatile and any ingredient pretty much goes. This is great for those times when your pantry is looking a little sparse.

One of my favorite soups is Navajo mutton stew. Because it is one of those cherished meals that is made from the heart.  

However, I haven’t always been a fan of mutton stew and didn’t fully appreciate it until I left home for college. After finishing my first semester of college, there was nothing I wanted more than shimá’s (my mom) mutton stew.

Since then it has always been a welcome back home treat.

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Yield: 8-10 Servings

Fancy Navajo Mutton Stew Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 hours

Total Time: 10 hours 30 minutes

Mutton stew (Atoo’) is a popular dish in the southwest among the Diné (Navajo) people. It is a simple dish that packs a lot of flavor from the mutton. It is eaten year-round and the ingredients can be changed depending on what you have in your pantry. Sheep are important in Diné (Navajo) culture and all parts of the sheep are used from cooking to weaving. It is most commonly made with mutton. If you cannot find mutton in your local grocery store, it can be substituted with lamb or beef.

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Ingredients

• 8-10 cups of water or vegetable broth
• 3lbs of mutton backbone or 2lbs of Cubed Mutton Stew Meat
• 3 Large Carrots diced and chopped
• 3 Medium sized russet potatoes
• 4 Celery Stalks diced
• 1 Large Onion diced
• Half a cabbage
• 1 cup of fresh corn
• Seasonings: ½ tablespoon Garlic Salt and ½ teaspoon Pepper
• Optional: Diced Jalapeno

Instructions

1. In a large crockpot add broth or water and season with garlic salt and pepper.
2. Add in meat
3. Add in chopped vegetables
4. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until meat is tender and falling off bones

Notes

Recipe from The Fancy Navajo

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Last Updated on February 18, 2024 by Paul G