Today's Irish stew includes beef and Guinness . . .
When the Irish people began immigrating to the United States, fleeing from the ravages of starvation caused by the potato famine, they naturally brought along
their wonderful hearty food traditions. The stew evolved and adapted to include the local offerings.
Sheep were not as plentiful in America, so other types of meat were often substituted. When made in the traditional manner, the result is very thick and
hearty.
The recipe has evolved to often include Guinness stout. Some variations have exalted this original peasant dish to near gourmet status. Whether you like the
basic version or a more fancy one, try one of the many recipes for Irish Stew on the web.
Irish stew - the recipe we'll be using . . .
This recipe below was found at a wonderful blog called Simply Recipes. The story included along with the recipe was that a friend brought back this recipe from a recent trip to Italy.
So, the best Irish stew we’ve ever tasted was tweaked by an Italian. Hello!
Hope you enjoy it. Please email feedback if you try it out (southdundasinbox@gmail.com).
Many thanx!
“Irish Beef Stew” from www.simplyrecipes.com
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1.5lbs well-marbled chuck beef stew meat, 1-inch pieces
6 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups beef stock or beef broth
1 cup Guinness beer
1 cup of fine red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter
3lbs russet potatoes, cut into 1/2inch pieces, about 7 cups
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups of 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in heavy, large pot over medium-high heat. Lightly salt stew meat and place in pan to brown. Turn as necessary until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add
garlic and saute 1 minute. Add beef stock, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Stir all ingredients until combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce
heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
2. While the main pot is simmering, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onions, and carrots and saute vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.
3. After the main pot has simmered for an hour, add vegetables to the beef mixture. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.
4. Discard bay leaves.
5. Skim surface to remove any excess fat.
6. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Sprinkle with the fresh chopped parsley and serve.