Irish Beef and Carrot Stew
My husband was born on St. Patricks Day, and this is the special meal I make to celebrate that occasion. My family looks forward to it all year.
My husband was born on St. Patricks Day, and this is the special meal I make to celebrate that occasion. My family looks forward to it all year.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 1 pound carrots cut into 2-1/2 inch pieces
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck steak cut into 1-inch strips
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh basil chopped
- 2/3 cup guinness other dark beer or beef broth
- 2/3 cup additional beef broth
- mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes
- Carbohydrate 22.6521955955285 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 8.04876052947627 g
- Fiber 4.27188198172832 g
- Protein 2.92738101048722 g
- Saturated Fat 0.638584205929174 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - (261g)
- Sodium 241.60261875268 mg
- Sugar 18.3803136138001 g
- Trans Fat 0.209202975606098 g
- Calories 179 calories
Step-by-step
- Place carrots in a greased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. In a skillet, saute onions in oil for 5 minutes or until tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions to dish.
- In a resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat; reserve flour mixture. In the same skillet, brown meat in oil on all sides. Transfer to baking dish.
- Stir reserved flour mixture into oil; cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Add basil and beer or broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in honey and additional broth; return to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour over beef. Cover and bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Serve with potatoes.
Substituting beef broth entirely for the dark beer removes the characteristic maltiness that defines traditional versions of this dish, though it retains the underlying savoriness required for a proper braise. Thickening agents like all-purpose flour demand precise handling when introduced to hot fats to prevent clumping and achieve a smooth consistency during the 1-minute cooking phase. Browning boneless beef chuck steak in a skillet requires high heat to initiate the Maillard reaction, developing deep flavor compounds before the meat undergoes prolonged cooking at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-1/2 hours. Cutting carrots into uniform 2-1/2 inch pieces ensures they soften at the same rate as the beef without disintegrating into the surrounding liquid. A shallow 2-quart baking dish provides the necessary surface area for even heat distribution during oven baking, whereas a deeper pot would alter the reduction rate of the liquid. While slow-simmered beef dishes originate from historical cooking methods designed to tenderize tough cuts using available root vegetables, modern execution relies on precise temperature control and proper fat rendering.
