2.21.11
Yesterday was the snowiest February day in Minnesota history. In anticipation of being snowed in, I wanted to make a hearty dinner that would warm up the soul on such blustery and grey evening. At first I thought chili (another post down the road) but instead chose stew. Mainly because I had all the ingredients at home and didn't feel like getting stuck on the road, but also because I never made it before.
Real irish stew is hardy, rustic, full of flavor and is traditionally made with mutton. Without any mutton on hand (ive never cooked with it before either) I chose to use venison to give it customize it to northwoods. Surely they have wild game/deer in Ireland, so i think the substitution is acceptable. Beef was also used to give the stew some fat as venison is very lean.
For you traditionalists out there, I opted to call this Irish-style stew as opposed to truly Irish. A second sub which may further upset some folks was using Newcastle Brown Ale, an English ale. Thats all I had on hand so I used it but if feel free to use an Irish ale to give the stew a little more authenticity (I think Smithwicks would be quite tasty or even Guinness for a richer flavor). When you are cooking seriously, using what you have in the kitchen and being resourceful is a skill necessary to be sucessful.
Aside from the subs, I think this is a great tasting stew and I knocked it out of the park on the first try. I actually wrote down what I used as I cooked it (which rarely happens) and that made me think of starting this blog to put up some recipes. Alright so here we go....
Recipe
1lb carrots
1lb potatoes
2 large onions
3 celery stalks
6 cloves garlic- smashed and chopped slightly.
1 qt. dark ale (if you're edge you can use more stock and water)
12 oz beef stock or broth
24 oz water
2lb of stew meat (1lb each of beef and venison)
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (or more to taste)
2 tbsp Tomato paste
Rosemary/thyme/marjoram (I used a dried herb mixture. Use fresh or dried or any seasoning mix that contains at least these three herbs)
Parsley
Salt/peper
Flour
Olive oil
1. Dredge the stew meat in flour seasoned with salt and paper until lightly coated. Shake off excess and sear in a dutch oven or large pot in olive oil on high heat. Sear until the meat has caramelized and has nice brown color. Remove the meat and all the juices and set aside.
2. On medium high heat add more olive oil to sautee the veggies. All veggies should have a rough chop. Start with the onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Add your dried herbs at this point (to taste) then cook until translucent. Add Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste and cook 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the ale, beef stock and water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and add the seared meat, potatoes, carrots, garlic. Add your fresh herbs here if you are using them.
4. Simmer the stew for at least 2 hours or longer if you like. Within the last 30 minutes of cooking, thicken if desired using a flour/water slurry to your preferred consistency. I personally dont like a real thick sauce, just enough to barely coat the back of a spoon.
5. Serve topped with chopped parsley, some crusty bread and you have a great meal for a snowy night.
Comments/criticisms welcome.
