St. Patrick's Day Recipe: Tipsy Irish Stew

By charlotteh371

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef cubed
• 3 Tbls olive oil
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 Tbls dried Thyme
• 2 1/2 Tbls Worcestershire sauce
• 5 cups beef stock
• 2 cups of Guinness or dark beer of choice
• (2) 2-ounce shots of Irish whiskey, 1 for the cook, 1 for the pot
• 1 1/2 cups red wine
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 3 Tbls butter
• 1 lb of purple, red and white fingerling potatoes
• 1 lb of russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 cups carrots, cut into 1/2 pieces
• 5 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 Tbls butter
• 2 Tbls flour mixed together

Preparation

Step 1

In a large pot heat 2 Tbls of olive oil over medium high heat, add cubed beef and brown on all sides. Add chopped garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn oven to 400F.

Deglaze the pot with the Irish whiskey. Be careful as this may flame up. It’s ok if it does, it’s just the alcohol burning off, which is what we want. Don’t worry if it doesn’t flame up because the alcohol will get cooked out as the stew simmers. I have to admit though, flaming a pot or pan makes me feel like a super chef.

Add the beef stock, beer, wine, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and sugar to the pot. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer for about an hour with the lid on. Stir occasionally.

In a large bowl, toss the cut potatoes and vegetables in olive oil, salt and pepper. Make sure each piece is well coated. Place on a large baking tray, and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.

While your broth is simmering and your vegetables are roasting, enjoy a Guinness and a shot of Irish whiskey, or a Baileys, whichever you choose. Dance an Irish jig if you want, just check in and see if your having fun, cuz you should be.

When broth and vegetables are ready, remove the bay leaves, add the vegetables to the broth, stir well, taste and adjust the seasoning. Let simmer for 30 to 40 minutes uncovered.

Now with your butter and flour mixture, break off little pieces and add them to the stew. This will help thicken it. Keep adding butter and flour mixture until you get the desired consistency.

Serve in large bowls with fresh soda bread, and enjoy.

I like to make my Tipsy Irish Stew a day or two in advance. The taste gets better and better with each day. Happy St. Patty’s Day. “May you be in heaven an hour before the Devil knows you’ve passed.”