The weather during this time of year makes me want to eat a hearty meal. All that comes to mind is HOT STEW. Hearty, filling stew that leaves a person so satiated they finish their meal feeling that there is nothing more they need in life. Let me set up a scenario for you. You’re hard at work, shoveling snow from the driveway, breathing in that cold winter air. As you shovel the remainder of the snow, you catch a glance into the window giving you the perfect view of your spouse hard at work whipping up this warm and woman-sized meal. Your partner, chopping the carrots, celery and onion into large fulfilling pieces. Pouring out thick dark stout as the savory broth is being conceived. You shovel your last heave, go inside, take off the layers of winter protection and sit down to your lover serving you this ever so satisfying meal with some fresh sour dough on the side. This is my idea of the perfect winter day. Whose with me?!
Stout beer adds a deep and robust flavor to the broth of this dish and is really key ingredient that makes this dish so fantastic. I prefer choosing something local like Easy Stout created by the crafty brewers at Walkerville Brewery. Check out their website at http://walkervillebrewery.com/ or drop them a visit and stay for a beer! This stout not only works well as an main ingredient agent but also goes down easy to sip on. You can choose something local or any other one of your favorite dry or Irish stouts.
Ingredients
- Mashed Potatoes:
- 3-4 large russet potatoes, peeled
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- Stew:
- 2 lbs stewing beef
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion or 2 small, chopped coarslely
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large carrots, chopped coarsely
- 4 stalks of celery, chopped coarsely
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup stout beer
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp thyme
- pinch of tarragon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Mashed Potatoes:
- Peel all of the potatoes and chop into large pieces.
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add the potatoes. Boil until tender.
- In a saucepan heat the butter and milk on low heat until butter has melted.
- Drain out water and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes as you add the butter and milk mixture.
For the Stew
- Add the olive oil and turn the instant pot to the saute setting. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent.
- Add beef and cook until brown on all sides
- Add carrots, celery and all other ingredients to the pot
- Close the lid and steam valve on the instant pot
- Cook on Stew setting for 30 mins allowing the pressure to release naturally for 10 mins before doing a quick release
To serve, pour stew into a bowl and add a approximately 1/3 cup of potato mash followed by a little more stew on top. Add a side of sour dough if you love carbs as much as me.
Sharon Amrik