ʻUlu Beef Stew (Hawaiian Breadfruit Stew)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 7-quart Dutch oven or thick-bottomed stew pot
• •Wide wooden spoon for scraping the browned base
• •Ladle for serving deep bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the beef

   Pat the beef dry, then season it with paʻakai ʻalaea, the Hawaiian red sea salt, and black pepper. Dust lightly with flour and shake off the extra. The flour is not there to make a crust like fancy restaurant work; it helps the gravy catch and cling later.

2. 2

   Brown it well

   Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, giving each piece space so it darkens instead of sweating in the pot. You want deep brown spots on the meat and a sticky dark fond on the bottom, because that is where the stew starts talking.

3. 3

   Build the base

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook until it softens and picks up the browned bits, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then the tomato paste, and cook until the paste darkens a shade and smells sweet, not raw.

4. 4

   Simmer the beef

   Return the beef and its juices to the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire, and bay leaves, scraping the bottom clean. Bring it to a gentle boil, then drop it to a low simmer, cover partly, and cook 1 1/2 hours, until the beef is starting to give but is not falling apart yet.

   For a slow cooker, move the browned beef and cooked tomato base into the insert, add the liquid and bay leaves, and cook on low for 6 hours before adding the ʻulu and vegetables.
5. 5

   Add the ʻulu

   Add the carrots, celery, and chunks of ʻulu. Keep the breadfruit pieces big, because the edges will soften and thicken the stew while the centers stay tender. Add a little water or stock if the pot looks tight; the liquid should come most of the way up the meat and ʻulu, not drown them.

6. 6

   Cook until tender

   Cover partly and simmer 45 to 60 minutes more, stirring gently now and then, until the beef pulls apart with a spoon and the ʻulu is creamy all the way through. If a few pieces break down into the gravy, let them. That's the canoe crop doing its work. No blame the ʻulu.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Pull out the bay leaves, taste for salt, and let the stew rest off the heat for 10 minutes so the gravy settles glossy and thick. Scatter green onion if you like, then serve in deep bowls with rice, poi, or just more ʻulu. This is comfort food, so feed heavy and send somebody home with a container.

Chef Tips

• •Use firm mature ʻulu, not soft ripe breadfruit. Firm ʻulu cooks like a starchy root and holds shape; ripe ʻulu turns sweet and belongs somewhere else.
• •Fresh ʻulu leaks a little sap when cut. Oil your knife lightly, trim away the core, and keep the chunks in water if they need to wait. Frozen cooked ʻulu is fine too; add it in the last 25 to 30 minutes so it does not fall apart.
• •This stew gets better the next day. The ʻulu thickens the gravy as it sits, so loosen leftovers with a splash of stock or water and warm them gently.
• •Eat what you have. If the household expects potato too, add one or two. The point is not to police the bowl; the point is to bring ʻulu back into the everyday pot.

Advance Preparation

• •Cut the beef and season it up to 1 day ahead, covered in the refrigerator.
• •Peel and cut fresh ʻulu the same day if you can; if preparing a few hours ahead, hold the chunks in cool water, then drain well before adding.
• •Make the stew 1 day ahead for the best texture. Chill it in its gravy, then reheat slowly and add a little stock if the ʻulu has thickened the pot too much.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 500g)