Guinness Irish Beef Stew

[Mark Silver]

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
  Cook Time: 2 ½ hours
  Total Time: 3 hours
  Serving Size: 6
  
  • 2 lbs beef chuck (boneless)
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning
  • ½ pound bacon (about 8 slices) (I use thick cut)
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12-16 ounces button mushrooms, quartered (optional)
  • flour to equal fat left in the dutch oven
  • 1 can Guinness stout (19 oz.)
  • 1 ½ cups beef broth
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 2 large carrots (peeled and sliced)
  • 2 large celery ribs (sliced)
  • 1 ½ cups of Yukon gold potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1-2 bay leaves
    Instructions
    1. Cut the beef into 1 ½ inch chunks. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper and set it aside.
    2. In a dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove it from the pan, crumble and set aside but leave the bacon fat in the pan.
    3. Brown the beef by putting a little in the dutch oven at a time. As the pieces brown, remove them to a plate. Again, leave the fat in the pan.
    4. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
    5. Stir in the flour and cook until this turns golden.
    6. Add the stout and use a wooden spoon to gently scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the dutch oven.
    7. Whisk in the broth and tomato paste until incorporated.
    8. Add the beef and bacon back to the pan.
    9. Stir in carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, pepper, thyme, and bay leaves.
    10. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook it covered for 2 hours, Then, remove the lid and allow it to simmer for another 30 minutes so it can thicken up a bit.
    11. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
    12. ENJOY!