Even more beef stew!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Beef stew must be catching!  After seeing Allison’s beef stew, and Emily’s homage to beef stew, well, I hauled out the three pounds of beef cubes from Natural Acres that I’ve been hoarding.

My stew differs from Allison’s and Emily’s in that it contains beer.  I’m convinced that everything is better with the addition of beer!  And as I like to support local farmers, I also like to support local breweries - I used a bottle of stout from Yards Brewery.

Also local: onions from Landisdale Farm, carrots from Tuscarora Coop, rosemary from Overbrook Herb Farm, flour from Daisy, homemade lamb stock from some bones from Jamison Farm, and garlic.

2 Tbsp. oil of your choice
3 lb. beef cubes/stew meat
2 c. chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tsp. chopped rosemary
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
2 Tbsp flour
1 bottle of stout
14 oz beef or lamb stock
1 lb of carrots, cut into chunks

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Season beef with salt and pepper and brown beef [maybe 6 minutes is all you need].  Remove from pot and add onions, garlic, and herbs to the Dutch oven.  Season with salt and pepper; reduce heat to medium and saute about 4 or 5 minutes.  Add in paste and flour, stir for a minute.  Add beer; stir for a few minutes and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Add stock and beef; bring to a simmer.  Partially cover the Dutch oven, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 45 minutes.  If the stew gets too thick, you can cut it with red wine.  Add carrots and simmer another 45 minutes.  Again, you can continue to cut the stew with red wine or more beer if it gets too thick or boils down too much..  Season with salt and pepper and eat up!

This stew is guaranteed to warm you up!  It sounds like we’re in for a few more cold days before Spring officially is sprung, so now might be a good time to try it out!