Irish Stew

This Irish Stew is a little different than the 
one I posted last time. It is great served with a fresh salad and some bread. It is my go to stew. It has a rich taste and the potatoes stay together really well. Make sure you put the beef, carrots, potatoes, onions in your crock pot in that order. I hope you have the luck of the Irish with this meal.

6 slices of bacon
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 1/2 pounds of beef stew meat
4 to 6 carrots, peeled and cut in 1 to 2 inch pieces
4 onions quartered
10 to 15 fingerling potatoes, washed
1 can french onion soup
1 12 ounce bottle of Guiness or any other stout beer
1 small can of tomato paste, 6 ounces

Cook the bacon in a pan till done.
Remove bacon, saving grease in pan.
Put flour, salt, and pepper in zip lock bag.
Add stew meat and shake till coated.
Brown beef cubes in bacon grease.
Place in Crock Pot when brown.
Add carrots, potatoes, and onions to crock pot in that order.
In a bowl add onion soup, tomato paste, beer, and all the spices and garlic. Mix well.
Pour into crock pot over meat and vegetables.
Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours till all is tender.
Warm the bacon. Break into pieces. Sprinkle over stew when serving.
Enjoy!

Irish Stew

There are so many dishes that say Irish. Corned beef and cabbage, potatoe pancakes, soda bread. Yum, I am getting hungry just thinking about it. Today I thought I would share this easy Irish Stew. You can use beef or lamb. Either way it turns out pretty lip smacking good.

Irish Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 pounds beef chuck or shoulder cut lamb - cut into 2 inch pieces

1 pound carrots - peel and cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces

6 large potatoes - peel and cut into 2 to 3 inch chunks

2 medium onions - cut into pieces - optional

2 cloves of garlic - minced

2 cups of beef broth

1 6 ounce can of tomato paste

1 12 ounce bottle of stout beer [like Guiness]

1 tablespoon cold water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

a few sprigs of fresh parsley or chives

Dredge the meat in the flour till coated.

Heat the oil in pan. When hot brown the meat in the oil.

Place the vegetables in layers in a large slow cooker.

Place the browned meat on top.

Mix the tomato paste, beef broth, and beer together.

Pour over vegetable and meat mixture.

Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours till meat is tender.

Cook on low 6 to 8 hours till meat is tender.

During the last hour mix the water and cornstarch, add to stew. This will thicken it a bit.

Serve with chopped parsley or chives on top.

Soda bread is a wonderful served with this, enjoy!