Shelly's Recipe

BEEF STEW WITH ALE

Category: Stews

2 lbs beef brisket, trimmed and cut into large 2-inch dice
Coarse salt and coarse ground pepper to taste
About 2 tbsp Wondra flour
About 5 tbsp canola oil
2 cups Portobello mushroom caps, wiped clean and diced (2 large)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Vegetable mix (all peeled):
1 1/2 cups white or red pearl onions (about 8 oz)
1 cup diced carrots (2 medium)
1 cup diced celeriac or celery root (1 medium)
1 cup diced rutabaga or turnip (1 large
2 bottles brown lager (Wild Goose if you can find it) or brown ale
2 cups beef broth or stock
1 cup diced large Yukon-gold potato
2 tsp malt vinegar
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked from the stem
2 small sprigs rosemary, leaves picked from the stem and roughly chopped

Generously season all sides of the beef with salt and pepper and lightly dust with Wondra flour. Add the canola oil to a Dutch oven and place over high heat. When oil is almost to smoking point (or shimmering in the pan), brown the meat in small batches, turning to sear all sides and removing each batch as it is finished.

When all brisket is browned and removed from pot, add mushrooms and roast in the residual beef fat until browned. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until just softened (but not colored), about three minutes. Remove and reserve.

Add vegetable mix and cook, stirring frequently, allowing onion to brown, about ten minutes. Remove vegetables. Return beef to the pot and add lager. Bring beer to a boil, then reduce heat, skimming any fat from the surface using a spoon or ladle. Reduce the beer by 2/3, about eight minutes. (Pay attention - it'll reduce quickly.) Add the beef broth or stock.

Cover and simmer over very low heat until meat is starting to become tender — about one hour — then add the potato and the browned vegetable mix. Check stew after another hour: If simmering very slowly, the meat should be fork-tender at this point. Add vinegar and adjust seasoning to taste. Stir in the herbs and the mushrooms to heat through. Serve.