The mornings & evenings are starting to have that fall chill and my mind turns to autumnal comfort cooking. Soups & stews start to look deliciously mouth-watering instead of making me break into a sweat. Our summer weather has not gone completely, it's supposed to be back up to 100 next week here, but it cools off at night so I know we really have turned that corner of summer into fall. Soon it will be cool & rainy and I'll miss those pleasant warm evenings on the patio. And work is ramping up for the holiday season and I will not have as much time to cook so on the weekends making a big pot of something to get us through the week is practical and frugal. With that in mind I thought I would share a Beef Stew recipe I made last spring that has become my favorite.
Simmering away:
The waiting is the hardest part:)
I have made beef stew many times. Especially when I can snag a marked down package of stew beef or a larger roast that I know can be cut into stew-sized pieces. For many years I have stuck to the basics:
Dredge the meat in flour, shake off the excess, then brown in some oil in my Dutch Oven. Remove the meat to a plate and sweat some onions, celery, and carrots (diced)in the pot. When they are softened and the onions are translucent, add some stock, maybe a can of diced tomatoes and some frozen pearl onions, return the beef and any juices that have collected on the plate and add in a cup or two of diced potatoes. Simmer for a couple of hours until thickened. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Easy and good.
Last spring though I came across this recipe. It's pretty simple too but beer and paprika are two things I always have and I thought, "hey, that sounds good!". And yes, it was very good. And using the tomato paste is genius!
Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika
from Pioneer Woman's Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 pounds Stew Meat
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Beer, 12 Ounce Can
4 cups Beef Stock (or 4 Cups Water + 4 Beef Bouillon Cubes)
2 cups Water (additional, If Needed)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1-1/2 teaspoon Sugar
4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
4 whole New Potatoes, Quartered
Minced Parsley (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.
Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
*UPDATE: The liquid should cook down to a thicker state. If it gets too thick/reduces too much, add additional water as needed.
Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve in bowls next to crusty French bread. Sprinkle with minced parsley, if desired.
So what's cooking at your place tonight? Pull up a chair, have a frosty cold (or hot!) beverage and leave the frustrations of the world at the door.