Guinness Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs chuck eye steak or pork shoulder, cubed
• 2 tbs bacon grease
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1-2 Jalapenos, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• ¼ C flour
• 2 tsp Colman’s dry mustard
• 3 C chicken or vegetable broth
• 16 oz Guinness or Shiner
• 1 tsp Marmite
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1½ tbs brown sugar
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Season the cubed chuck steak with salt and pepper. Pork shoulder substitutes very nicely.
2. Melt the bacon drippings over medium high heat. Brown the meat in batches to avoid cooling the pan, removing the browned meat to a bowl. Add more bacon grease if the pan becomes too dry.
3. When all the meats are browned, add the onions, celery, garlic and tomato paste to the pot and allow them to pick up some of the flavors in the pot. You may also need to add bacon grease in this step if the pan becomes too dry.
4. When the vegetables are soft and starting to brown, stir in the flour and then add the chicken broth, thyme, brown sugar, Marmite, salt, pepper and ½ C of the Guinness. Add the meat, stir well, and cook uncovered in the oven for 1½ hrs.
5. After 1½ hrs, add the carrots and potatoes and return to the oven for another 45 minutes.
6. In the last 15 minutes, add the remaining Guinness and return to the oven for a total oven time 3 hrs
7. Finish with a tsp of Cajun seasoning and a splash of apple cider vinegar (optional).

Chef's Notes

• Peas, green beans, and mushrooms would all be good additions
  • Add the green beans with the potatoes
  • Sauté mushrooms and add them with the potatoes
  • Add the peas right at the end.