Boozy Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1 - 1.5 lb. stew beef

• Salt and pepper

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 medium onions, minced

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flower

• 1 cup dry red wine OR 1 cup Guinness stout

• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 5 medium), scrubbed and cut into 1 1/2” chunks OR mashed potatoes

• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced thin

• 8 oz white mushrooms, washed and quartered

• 1 cup frozen peas

• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees. Dry the beef with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of the meat, about 10 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Return the pot to medium-high heat and repeat with one more tablespoon of the oil and the remaining beef.

Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the empty pot and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook until softened, about five minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook for one minute. Slowly stir in the wine or the Guinness, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, thyme, bay leaves, and browned beef along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for one hour.

Stir in the potatoes (if not using mashed) and carrots (and mushrooms if you choose to use them). Cover and continue to cook in the oven until the beef is tender, about one hour.

Remove the pot from the oven and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the peas and let stand off the heat for five minutes.

Season stew with salt and pepper to taste.

If using mashed potatoes, place a mound of potatoes in the middle of your soup bowl, and ladle the stew around it.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.