Steak and Stout Stew
This is a variation of a meal I had last night at the Cricketeer's Arms, an English pub down here in Orlando. They offered a fantastic Steak and Stout stew that was served in a large heated ceramic mug with a pastry dough shell on top, chips and mixed vegetables on the side. I savored it slowly and practically purred the whole time. Then, as I often do, I took notes and looked up the recipe on Epicurious and found something that almost exactly resembled the stew itself.
So, I decided to use a few tricks from my Guinness Beef and Vegetable Stew and enhanced their recipe. As I prefer to find my vegetables IN the stew, and all it had was carrots in it, I decided to add mushrooms and tomatoes for extra heartiness. Also, I find adding thyme to any beef dish is a great compliment, so that went in as well. Finally, I varied how the meat is prepared, as marinating the meat makes it far more tender. Special thanks to Andy and Sara for assisting in suggestions and cleanup of the formatting.
Steak and Stout Stew
3 pounds sirloin, cleaned and chopped into 1 1/2" chunks
8 to 15 ounces mushrooms (to taste), drained and sliced
Worcestershire sauce
ground black pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 12-ounce bottle dark beer (such as stout)
1 14-ounce can low-salt beef broth
1 pound baby carrots with some green tops attached, peeled
1 15-ounce can tomatoes, diced
Marinate the sirloin and mushrooms in the Worcestershire and black pepper for 2 to 4 hours (or overnight if you desire). In a large iron pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In small batches, quickly sear the meat on all sides, about 5 to 8 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove the meat with all of its juices, then saute the mushrooms for 5 minutes. Remove to a separate bowl for later.
Add the onions, garlic and herbs to the pot and saute until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and flour, then stir for 1 minute. Pour the beer into the pot, and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits, stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth, meat and reserved juices. Cover the pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms, then only partially recover the pot and simmer for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until the stew is thickened and dark.
Produces 8 to 12 servings.
So, I decided to use a few tricks from my Guinness Beef and Vegetable Stew and enhanced their recipe. As I prefer to find my vegetables IN the stew, and all it had was carrots in it, I decided to add mushrooms and tomatoes for extra heartiness. Also, I find adding thyme to any beef dish is a great compliment, so that went in as well. Finally, I varied how the meat is prepared, as marinating the meat makes it far more tender. Special thanks to Andy and Sara for assisting in suggestions and cleanup of the formatting.
Steak and Stout Stew
3 pounds sirloin, cleaned and chopped into 1 1/2" chunks
8 to 15 ounces mushrooms (to taste), drained and sliced
Worcestershire sauce
ground black pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 12-ounce bottle dark beer (such as stout)
1 14-ounce can low-salt beef broth
1 pound baby carrots with some green tops attached, peeled
1 15-ounce can tomatoes, diced
Marinate the sirloin and mushrooms in the Worcestershire and black pepper for 2 to 4 hours (or overnight if you desire). In a large iron pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In small batches, quickly sear the meat on all sides, about 5 to 8 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove the meat with all of its juices, then saute the mushrooms for 5 minutes. Remove to a separate bowl for later.
Add the onions, garlic and herbs to the pot and saute until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and flour, then stir for 1 minute. Pour the beer into the pot, and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits, stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth, meat and reserved juices. Cover the pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms, then only partially recover the pot and simmer for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until the stew is thickened and dark.
Produces 8 to 12 servings.