Guinness for Strength!

While, treating this morning I was looking out the window at the rain and thinking this might be the one of the last cold, wet days before spring.  Hence this might be the last weekend for a big pot of comfort food.  Since I have not made Guinness beef Stew yet this season I decided this might be one of my last opportunities.

This recipe has morphed over the years but it is always a crowd pleaser.  This is a definite recipe to try whether you enjoy a good stout or not.

Guinness Beef Stew

3 lbs of London broil (grass fed), cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 cup of all purpose flour

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of pepper

1/2 tsp of chipotle pepper

3 TBS of olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

8 oz of cremini mushrooms, halved

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of pepper

1 28oz can of diced tomatoes (low sodium)

2 14.9 oz cans of Guinness Stout

1/2 cup of beef stock

1 small bundle of fresh thyme

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch sized pieces

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  In a Ziploc bag, combine beef chunks, flour, salt, pepper, and chipotle pepper.  Shake well to coat the beef.  Heat the oil in a large oven safe pot over medium high heat.  Sear the beef on all sides, be careful not to overcrowd the pan by doing this in two batches.  Remove the beef and let it rest on a plate.  Add 1 TBS more of oil to the pot.  Add the onions, salt, and pepper.  Cook until soft.  Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more.  Add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the remaining salt and pepper.  Add the tomatoes, beef stock, and Guinness.  Combine well.  Add thyme bundle and sweet potatoes.  Add beef back into the pot, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours.  Garnish with some chopped Italian parsley and serve with some good crusty bread.  Enjoy!