Spread evenly over bottom of roasting pan 1½ lbs. stew meat, cubed. Add 1 large onion, carrots, celery and potatoes, cut in chunks. Mix together 2 t. salt, 1 T. sugar and 2 T. tapioca. Sprinkle over above. Drizzle not quite 1 quart of tomato juice over all. Cover and bake 5 hours at 250°. (Can be started at 350° then reduced after ½ hour to 250° for 3½ hours).
NOTE: This recipe came from the Bountiful Harvest book. I like a lot of vegetables in my stew, so when I make it I use 2 cans each beans, peas, carrots and corn. I dump entire can of vegetables and water over the meat, onion and potatoes. I then use tomato soup or tomato sauce (I don’t always have tomato juice) mixed with the tapioca in a blender so it doesn’t clump.