Tammy's Irish Stew

Crumble the ground beef in a large, deep pot. Pour in 4 cups of water, and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and soak beef for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Add whole potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and onions. Stir in additional water, if needed, until potatoes are nearly submerged.

Cover and bring to a boil slowly over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes begin to fall apart, about 1 hour, adding water one cup at a time, as needed, to keep the potatoes moist. Stir the stew with a wooden spoon, breaking apart smaller potatoes to create a gravy-like consistency. Season with salt to taste. Cover, remove from heat, and allow stew to rest for 10 minutes before serving.