Beef n’ Guinness Stew
Although St. Patrick’s Day comes when spring is beginning to peek through the snow, the weather is still cold enough here in the northeast to enjoy a pot of stew. I’ve adapted one of my favorite slow-cooker stew recipes (actually a French boeuf en daube*) to use a strong Irish Stout beer in place of red wine. Grab a loaf of Irish Soda Bread to mop up all the delicious juices and get ready to celebrate the Emerald Isle.
Ingredients
4 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large sweet (Vidalia or Spanish) onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15 ounce) bottle Irish Stout beer such as Guinness
2 cups beef broth
6 carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 cup whole canned tomatoes, chopped
3 pounds Baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved (peeled, or unpeeled)
½ teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 pound button mushrooms or Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
Special equipment: slow cooker (optional)
Directions
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Pat the beef dry with paper towels. In a bowl or large plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add the beef and toss until lightly coated. Shake off excess flour.
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Heat the olive oil in a stew pot or slow cooker. Sauté the beef until browned on all sides. Remove meat and set aside.
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Add the onions and cook on low heat until soft, stir in the garlic and cook another 2 minutes (don’t let the garlic brown or it will get bitter). Add the tomato paste and beer and heat to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate all the delicious brown bits of flavor.
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Put the meat back into the pot, add the broth, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, thyme and bay leaf. If you are using a slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until beef is tender. If you are cooking the stew on the stove, bring the stew to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 3 hours (until beef is tender).
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When stew is just about done, heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms until they are golden, about 10 minutes. Stir the mushrooms in to the stew and discard the bay leaf.
Serve with a crusty piece of Irish Soda Bread and some delicious Harp Lager Beer or more Guinness!
They say St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time- a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic. And in the words of a favorite Irish Toast, “May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night!”
*To enjoy this same recipe in the French style of a boeuf en daube, simply replace the Irish Stout Beer with 1 cup of dry red wine. The results will be delicious!