The meat is meltingly tender, the broth has hints of caraway and stout. With parsnips, carrots and turnips in the mix, you won't miss the usual potatoes.
To make sure you have enough lean meat for the stew, buy a larger piece than you need. For this recipe, we bought a 3.27-pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed it of all visible fat, then cut it into 1-inch cubes. The yield was slightly more than 2 1/2 pounds.
Serve with warm brown bread.
Make Ahead: Freeze the cooled stew in 1- or 2-serving portions for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator during the day; reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through.
SERVINGS: 8
Yield: Makes about 10 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds cubed boneless chuck (see headnote)
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 medium-to-large onion, chopped (5 cups)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups no-salt-added beef broth
- 12 ounces Guinness stout
- 1 tablespoon dried currants (may substitute dark raisins)
- 1 teaspoon caraway seed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 2 or 3 medium carrots (5 ounces total), peeled and roll-cut (1 1/2 cups; see NOTE)
- About 3 parsnips (5 or 6 ounces total), peeled and roll-cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 (8 ounces) turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Combine the flour, salt and meat in a large resealable plastic food storage bag. Seal and shake to coat evenly.
Heat a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add half the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add half the meat, shaking off any excess flour back into the bag. Cook for several minutes, until the meat is browned on all sides but not cooked through, turning it as needed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cubes to a bowl; repeat with the remaining oil and meat. Discard any excess flour.
Use a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, then add the onions and stir to coat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until just softened, then clear a spot at the center of the pot and add the tomato paste. Cook for a few minutes, until the tomato paste is fragrant. Stir in the broth and beer.
Return all the meat to the pot, along with the dried currants, caraway seed and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and increase the heat to medium-high; once the mixture comes to a boil, cook for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, parsnips and turnip; reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and increase the heat to medium-high; once the stew comes to a boil, cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.
NOTE: To produce roll-cut pieces on linear vegetables such as carrots and parsnips, make a cut on the diagonal, then rotate a quarter-turn before you make the next cut.
