Pumpkin Stew

From Taste of Home’s Halloween Food & Fun, 2003
Serves 8-10

Ingredients

2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1″ cubes 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 c. water 3 large potatoes, peeled & cut into 1″ cubes
4 medium carrots, sliced 1 large green pepper, cut into ½” pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper
2 tbsp instant beef bouillon granules 14½ oz. diced tomatoes
1 pumpkin (10-12 lbs)

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 2 tbsp oil.  Add water, potatoes, carrots, green pepper, garlic, onion, salt & pepper.  Cover & simmer for 2 hours.  Stir in bouillon & tomatoes.  Wash pumpkin; cut a 6-8″ circle around top stem.  Remove top & set aside; discard seeds & loose fibers from inside.
  2. Place pumpkin in a shallow sturdy baking pan.  Spoon stew into pumpkin & replace the top.  Brush outside of pumpkin with remaining oil.  
  3. Bake at 325°F for 2 hours or just until the pumpkin is tender (do not over bake).  Serve stew from pumpkin, scooping out a little pumpkin with each serving.