Vanilla and Thyme: Beef Stew

January 10, 2011

Beef Stew

Nothing says you're in for the night like a bowl of delicious stew. Here's an easy recipe, even better heated up for lunch the next day. As usual, I'd like to encourage using all organic ingredients, including the beef-

Beef Stew
(serves 6-8)
(print)

2 lbs. of stew beef or a 2 lb. chuck roast, cubed
5 potatoes, peeled/cubed
3 small baby bok choy
1 cup cubed celery
1 bunch rough cut carrots
2 medium onions, quartered
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups beef broth
1 bottle of beer (preferably ale)
2 tablespoons butter
all-purpose flour
salt/pepper
parsley
Italian seasoning
olive oil
worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash the beef and cut into uniform sizes (1 inch cubes). Season with salt, pepper, and lightly dust with flour.

Coat the bottom of a deep skillet with oil to brown the beef (about 2 tablespoons). Turn the burner to medium high, and quickly sear the beef on all sides.

Lower the temperature, and slowly add 1/2 cup of beef broth, and 1/2 cup of beer. Cover the pan, and place into the oven for one hour.

After the beef has been in the oven for 30 minutes or more, prepare your veggies. In a deep stockpot, heat a bit of olive oil, just enough to cover the bottom. Slice up the bok choy...

then the onions, garlic and celery. Season with salt and pepper, and saute on high heat for about 3 minutes.

Add the potatoes and carrots, then the rest of the beef broth (1 and 1/2 cups).

Cover and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat. You want everything to still be on the crisp side, not soggy.

Carefully remove the meat from the oven. Spoon the meat only into the stew mixture, lower heat to simmer and cover. Pour the juices from the meat into a bowl, then ladle off the grease.

Melt the butter in the bottom of the skillet.

Add a handful of flour...

then stir to make a thick paste.

Add the juices with the fat skimmed into the pan, and whisk quickly over medium heat about 3 minutes. It will begin to thicken into a gravy. Season with salt and pepper and add the rest of the beer, along with a few shakes of worcestershire sauce.