Beef and Irish Stout Stew recipe

6 servings

2 pounds lean beef stew meat

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 large onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 cups Irish stout beer (e.g., Guinness)

2 cups chopped carrot

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Toss the beef cubes with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Dredge the beef in 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 the tomato paste into a small amount of water to dilute; pour into the pan and stir to blend.

Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour 1/2 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 a lot of flavor 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.