This can also be done on top of the stove or in the oven. After you brown the meat, cook in a pot for about 2 hours and add the vegetables for another hour. You can also do it in a 350º oven for a total of 3 hours. Be sure not to skip the apple juice in this. It cuts the bitterness of the beer. Serves 6.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 Cup flour
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Pounds stew meat cut in 1 inch by 5 inch chunks
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 Medium onion. Haff minced and the other half cut in 1 inch pieces
- 3 Stalks celery cut in bite size pieces
- 3 Medium carrots, cut in bite size pieces
- 2 Large red or white potatoes, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 15 Ounce can of Guinness beer
- 1 Cup apple juice
- 2-3 Cups beef stock or broth (sometimes more)
- 2 Sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 Bay leaves
Directions:
Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a flat bowl. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Dust the meat with the flour mixture and brown the large chunks of meat on all sides in the pan. You may need to do this in 2 batches. Try not to crowd the pan. When all the meat is browned, move to a cutting board and cut into bite size pieces. If you plan to eat the stew out of a bowl, cut in 1/2 inch squares. If you plan to eat on Yorkshire puddings or in pastry bowls then cut into larger 2 inch pieces. Put the meat into the crock or soup pot. In the same frying pan, add a little more oil and cook the minced onion until browned. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the Guinness and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour the beer/onion/garlic mixture into the crock pot or soup pan.
Add the stock, apple juice and herbs to the crock pot. Cook until beef is tender. For the crock pot, about 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low. For the stove or oven about 1 1/2 hours. Add the large cut onions, carrots and celery and cook for another hour (on high). At this point you should decide if you need more liquid. You can add some additional stock or water to make the stew the correct consistency Then, add the potatoes and cook for about 30 minutes more.
“Beef Stew” by healthiermi is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
