Don’t let a few days of sunshine fool you—it’s still winter. Mid-winter, in fact. And while we may have made it over the hump, the days are still short and the weather is still cold. Thankfully, there’s one thing that always helps me get through the winter doldrums, and that’s stew. Big, beefy, hearty bowls of stew doctored up with a rich and flavorful beer of the darkest variety.
Stew was made for this season. Loaded with root vegetables like potatoes and carrots that weather well through the winter, a good bowl of stew can warm you from the inside out, even on the most frigid of days.
If you want to keep things traditional, you can make this stew with a glug of Guinness, but for a more Pacific Northwest take on the whole thing, try a local brew like No-Li Brewhouse’s Imperial stout. Five types of dark, roasted malts find their way into this Spokane, Washington original, adding layers of flavor to this rich satisfying beer. A generous helping of hops bring balance and harmony.
And because stew is always better the next day, this is a great make-ahead recipe.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2 ½ hours
Makes: 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 ½ pounds chuck roast, cut into rounds
3 tablespoons paprika
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 onions, diced
Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons thyme
¼ cup flour
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup No-Li Brewhouse Imperial stout
½ cup chopped parsley
Directions:
Dust chuck roast rounds with paprika.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and sear chuck roast rounds until brown, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan, cut into large chunks (about 1 ½ inches) and set aside.
In a large stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté carrots, onion and potatoes until just tender, about 7 minutes. Add thyme and salt and pepper to taste.
Add chuck roast pieces to vegetables and combine. Stir in flour until well coated. Add tomato puree, chicken stock and beer. Combine well.
Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cover and let cook for 2 ½ hours, until broth has thickened slightly and meat and vegetables are tender. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley.
