Beer and Beef Stew

Meat, veggies and potatoes and beer.  Sounds perfect on a chilly fall night, doesn’t it?  At my house we generally have some type of soup, stew or chili once a week and this week, we’re having a simple, but tasty beer and beef stew.

I originally saw this recipe in Cooking Light and knew I had to try it.  They recommend using Belgian beer (and I do too) but I’ve also used some of the fun seasonal beers such as Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale.  Use whatever beer you want but just like cooking with wine, only use beer that you would also drink!  I’ve made a few substitutions to the original recipe to fit my family’s taste buds such as potatoes instead of parsnips and my budget (because cremini mushrooms are more expensive than baby bellas) but I think it stays true to the original.

Ingredients:

• 6 slices bacon, cut in 1/2″ pieces
• 2 lbs boneless chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 cups chopped white onion
• 5 cups sliced mushrooms
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1 (12 oz) bottle of beer
• 2.5 cups sliced carrots (leave the skin on)
• 1.5 cups chopped potatoes
• 2 cups, beef broth (divided 1 cup each)
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven (I love my Le Creuset dutch oven) over medium, medium-high heat until crispy.  Remove the bacon from a pan, leaving the bacon grease behind.  Add half the beef and brown on all sides.  Remove the browned beef and then repeat with the remaining beef.
2. Add the onion, cook 4-5 minutes and then add the mushrooms and garlic.  Cook 1-2 more minutes then add the flour.  Cook a few minutes stirring occasionally.  Add the beer, bacon, beef, carrots, one cup of beef broth and remaining ingredients to the pan.  Stir and bring to a boil.
3. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for 2 hours or until beef is tender.  Add more beef broth if needed to thin the resulting gravy.