Beef in Guinness -- the recipe

The stew we served yesterday is the sort of thing that is incredibly easy to put together, and not too time consuming, except for the fact that it needs to sit in the oven for hours. Perfect for a crockpot preparation, if you are a crockpotter. We aren't, even though we have one.

4 pounds chuck, cut into large cubes (an inch or so is fine)
1 onion, fairly fine dice
Olive oil --- don't waste extra-virgin cold-pressed first-harvest demi-cru-du-monde on this
2-3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
2 cups diced tomatoes
2-5 cloves minced or pressed garlic, to taste -- I like more rather than less:-)
1-2 pounds of potatoes, depending on preferences: I use small red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-1 inch dice
1 pound button mushrooms
1-2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch dice
Thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt, pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 325 F.
First heat a little oil over high heat in a big heavy pot or dutch oven: brown as much of the beef as will fit in an uncrowded layer (let the cubes sit on the hot surface for a few minutes until the outside is caramelized, turn, let them sit again, etc: I just caramelize two opposite sides this way, but you could do all six sides: 2 gets plenty of flavour). Remove the beef to a plate, add a little more oil if necessary, and brown some more cubes of chuck. Repeat until all the beef is browned.
Add a little oil if necessary, and throw in the onions. Over medium heat, stirring, cook the onions until translucent, using the juices to scrape up the fond from the bottom of the pot. Add the flour and stir well until all the lumps are gone.
Add a couple of cups of diced tomatoes (I used canned at this step: you could substitute tomato paste for a slightly different flavour/texture to the finished dish) and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Add back the meat and juices from the plates, pour in a 12 oz bottle or a 16oz can of "Draught Guinness" (or you could use Young's Chocolate Stout to good effect too!) and a cup of stock: if you've got beef, use it, otherwise chicken is fine. I used a hunk of frozen reduced chicken stock from the freezer. Add a teaspoon of thyme (twice that if fresh) and a couple of bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Cover, bring to a simmer, and put it into the oven for an hour.
Cube the potatoes, carrots, clean the mushrooms, and add to the stew. Re-cover, put back in the oven for at least another two hours.
Taste the meat about 15 minutes ahead: if it isn't falling apart tender, but it's almost there, you're okay: if it is still tough, give it another hour more. It may upset your guests to have to wait, but it will improve the dinner no end! And since the stew can sit, it is much better to make it early rather than late.

The potatoes should be near, but not at, a state of collapse, having absorbed the full flavour of the juices. The carrots should be tender, and the mushrooms juicy.


Yours, sharing,
N.