Let me tell you about my ALL TIME FAVORITE comfort food. This Traditional Irish Stew, I could eat for days. Chunks of quality beef, bacon, sweet carrots, potatoes, cabbage, onions, and the most important ingredient: Guinness. The base of this stew turns into this thick, creamy Guinness gravy, and it’s just too good. I always sop up every drop with some Irish brown bread. Give this a try for St. Patrick’s Day instead of corned beef. It will be a pleasant surprise to your family or guests of your party. Hearty, rich, and so good that people will definitely want seconds. You can make this right in a crock pot, or store it in one to keep warm if you want to bring it to a party.
Classic Irish Stew
Serves 4
What You’ll Need:
+ 4 slices bacon (more the merrier), chopped
+ 1 1/2 lb. beef or lamb cubes
+ salt and pepper to taste
+ 1 cup carrots, chopped
+ 1 medium onion, chopped
+ 1 potato, cubed
+ 2 cloves garlic, minced
+ 1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
+ 1/2 cup beef stock
+ 1 (12oz.) bottle of Guinness or Irish Stout
+ 3 Tbsp. flour
+ 1 tsp. each sugar, thyme & 1 bay leaf
Heat a pat of butter (or drizzle of olive oil) in the bottom of a pot. Add in the bacon, onions and potatoes, cook for about 5 minutes or until onions become soft. Sprinkle the steak with a little salt and pepper. Add the steak cubes, and garlic. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the 3 Tbsp. flour on top, and stir until the meat is coated. (This will help the stew get thick later). Cook for a minute, and then pour in the Guinness, scraping the bottom of the pot to get all of those good flavors in. Add in the carrots, beef stock, and herbs. Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the cabbage, and cook an additional 15 minutes. The longer you can cook this, the better. The flavors really blend in.
A Pinch Here, A Dash There 