Beer-Simmered Beef Stew

There is nothing like a hearty stew to warm you up on a cold day.  This is a tried and true recipe that I have been playing with for years.  A couple of secrets to share:  1.  once you have browned the stew meat, simmer in beer - the beer does a great job of tenderizing the meat.   2.  For Seasoning, I like to use LB Jamison's Beef Soup Base.  You can find it along side the boullion cubes.  I really like the flavor it brings to the stew.  3.  Give the stew a richer color with Kitchen Bouquet.  It may be trickery, but as stew with richer color tastes better!   Enjoy!

Beef Stew

By Peggy Fonke

 

3 TBL cooking oil

Cook time is 3 hours - worth it!

2-3 lb Stew meat

1 12-oz  can of beer

1 onion - chopped

2-3 large red potatoes

2-3 stalks celery – chopped

1-11/2 cups carrots

1 cup green beans

5-6 shakes Worchestershire sauce

3 TBL sugar

Kitchen Bouquet

Thickening

3-4 TBL flour

1-11/2 cup hot water

2-3 TBL beef bouillon or soup base

salt and pepper

Kitchen Bouquet

In a dutch oven, heat oil.  Add stew meat and onion. Cook, stirring constantly until meat is browned.  Cover meat with beer.  Simmer for 2 hours until meat is tender.

Add potatoes, carrots, celery.  Add water until vegetables are covered.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Add green beans.  Simmer an additional 30 minutes or until all veggies are tender.

Combine flour, soup base. Blend in with hot water stirring until mixture is smooth with no lumps, and pourable. 

 

 

 To simmering hot stew, gradually add thickening mixture, stirring constantly, so liquid thickens with no lumps forming.  Continue until desired thickness is achieved.  Season to taste using salt, pepper, sugar, worchestershire sauce and possibly additional soup base.

Add ½-1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet to achieve desired color.