St-Patrick’s Day: Irish Stew

Saint-Patrick’s day is as much about the Irish people as it is about the Irish food! For a few years now, some of my family have met in a quaint little Irish pub on parade day to sample some authentic Irish Stout Stew, see the picture with the recipe below. It has amazing flavor (and of course potatoes ) and I am looking forward to it again this year. The recipe I’m offering today is not from the pub as they guard their secrets rather closely, but its a traditional Irish stew that should warm the cockles of your heart just as well and give ya the energy ya need to shovel all that white crap!

I intend to try this one out, so if your in the mood to get into the Irish festivities, this is a good way to do so from the comfort and warmth of home…when you don’t feel like freezing your butt off at the parade!

Irish Stout Stew

2 pounds lean beef stew meat

3 tbsp. Vegetable oil (divided)

2 tbsp. All-purpose flour

2 large onions, chopped

2 cups chopped carrot

1 clove garlic, crushed

1½ cups Irish stout beer (i.e., Guinness)

freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

2 tbsp. Tomato paste

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 tbsp. Chopped fresh parsley

- Toss the beef cubes with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, peper and cayenne pepper. Dredge the beef into this to coat.

- Heat the remaining oil in a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides. Add the onions and garlic. Stir in the tomato paste (can be diluted in small amount of water). Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

- Pour ½ cup of the beer into the pan, and as it begins to boil, scrape any bits of food from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon (this adds flavour to the broth). Pour in the rest of the beer and add the carrots and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.