It seems to me that of all home-cooked beef recipes out there, the stew is always a standout. I've tasted many beef stew dishes from around the world and it's really hard to say which one is my favorite. Well, except the one recipe that I cooked up. I tend to like sweet dishes so I thought of making a sweet-tasting beef stew, adding sweet potato instead of the usual potato and carrots. With the help of a tiny bit of liquid smoke, this stew incorporates the great taste and aroma of barbecue. I used a combination of apple cider and brown sugar to bring out just the right amount of sweetness I look for in a dish.