Beef Stew

This is my favorite version. I prefer baking the bacon and using some of the reserved fat to sauté the onion.  I am leaning towards browning the meat in a skillet and then transferring to the Dutch oven.


Beef Stew

  •  4  slices bacon
  •  2  cups onion -- chopped
  •  2 1/2  pounds stew meat -- or cut up your own into 1 inch chunks
  •  3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  •  1/2 teaspoon black pepper -- freshly ground
  •  3  cups beef stock -- Better than Bouillon works well
  •  12  ounces beer -- malty; Nut brown ale is nice
  •  2 tablespoons tomato paste
  •  2  teaspoons mustard -- brown or yellow
  •  2  teaspoons fresh savory -- or teaspoon dried savory or marjoram; more for dried
  •  1  pinch cayenne
  •  1 1/2  cups pearl onion -- blanched and peeled (frozen works too)
  •  6  medium carrot -- cut into chunks
  •  4  small red potatoes -- peeled and cut into chunks
  •  3  Medium parsnip -- cut into chunks


  1. Fry bacon in a Dutch oven until crisp
  2. Remove bacon w/ slotted spoon, drain and reserve it.
  3. Stir the onion into the bacon fat and sauté until soft and transluscent, about 5 minutes.
  4. Toss the meat cubes with the flour , salt, and pepper. Add about half the cubes to the Dutch oven and brown. Add remaining cubes and brown.
  5. Pour in the stock and beer, tomato paste, mustard, savory, and a pinch or two of cayenne.
  6. Simmer for 1 hour, then add the pearl onions, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips.
  7. Simmer uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2 additional hours, until the meat and vegetables are very tender and the liquid is thick.
  8. Add Bacon back onto pot about 20 minutes before serving

No comments:

Post a Comment