Beef Stew with Homemade Cranberry BBQ Sauce
Updated Oct. 23rd, 2025 | Read Time: 1 Minute
Looking for a convenient, hearty dinner idea? This Beef Stew with Homemade Cranberry BBQ Sauce is the perfect comfort meal on a chilly day without spending hours in the kitchen. Stews are a classic go-to for busy nights, they're simple, satisfying, and a great way to use leftover veggies fro the fridge.
What makes this recipe extra special is the sweet and tangy cranberry BBQ sauce, which gives every bite a rich, mouthwatering flavour. With minimal prep and wholesome ingredients, this one-pot meal is ideal for a cozy Fall or Winter dinner or an easy meal prep option for the week.
Spend less time cooking and more time enjoying this warm, flavourful dish that's sure to become a family favourite.
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Corn Free
- Egg Free
- Sugar Free
Ingredients:
| 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes | 2 potatoes, unpeeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes | 1 yellow onion, sliced |
| 1 yam, unpeeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes | 2 carrots, unpeeled and cut into discs | 1 lb stewing beef – i used grass-fed and finished, free range beef |
| cranberry barbecue sauce: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2/3 cup cranberry juice | 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar | ½ teaspoon salt |
| 1 beef bouillon cube | 1 clove garlic, minced | pepper to taste |
| 6 oz. can of tomato paste | 2 tablespoon blackstrap molasses |
Directions
Turn your oven to 300F
- In a small saucepan, bring all the BBQ sauce ingredients to a boil. Once boiled, lower your heat and bring the contents to a simmer for another ten minutes – stirring regularly to avoid burning!
- Chop up vegetables, and place in a large bowl with your beef cubes. Season with salt and pepper, and pour contents into an oven-safe dish.
- Coat your vegetables and beef with your homemade sauce.
- Cover dish with tin foil, and place in the oven to bake for 2.5-3 hour. Around the 2.5-hour mark, check to see how your potatoes are doing – they should be tender, but not crumbling when you poke them.
- Let the dish cool for ten minutes before serving!
Make It This Way
To reduce the amount of unneeded sugars in your sauce, why don’t you try using a natural cranberry juice, or better yet… use real cranberries. Just add them to the mix, and supplement the loss of liquid by adding a little bit of water. Mash the cranberries down before pouring on top of the dish.
Try This
Serve this hearty dish with a light side dish, or enjoy on its own!
What a super sauce, NN! I love the concept. I bet that unlike the cranberry sauce that is served at Thanksgiving, this version would be a real crowdpleaser. I bet that the cranberry tang & bit of sweetness is especially wonderful as a tart burst of flavor along with the tomato and the vinegar. I will be sharing this one with both my Mother and my Father-this is such a cool idea for a sauce!!