Mushroom, Beef, and Bacon Stew

By ROBandSEAN

You can use just about any mushroom you like for this stew (or a mix of varieties), as long as you add the more delicate ones during the last hour of cooking

Ingredients

• 4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-in.-wide pieces
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 pounds assorted mushrooms, such as king trumpet, shiitake, and pioppini*, tough stems trimmed and larger mushrooms thickly sliced
• 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-in. pieces
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 bottles (12 oz. each) brown, amber, or bock-style ale, such as Boont Amber Ale
• 1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
• 8 shallots
• 5 medium carrots
• 1/2 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes or fingerlings, halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

Details

Cooking time 240mins
Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cook bacon in a heavy 5- to 6-qt. pot over medium heat. Transfer bacon to a large bowl. Pour off all but 1 tbsp. bacon fat from pot, add 1 tbsp. oil, and cook larger sliced mushrooms until beginning to crisp on edges, about 10 minutes; transfer to a second bowl.
2. Dry beef on paper towels if wet, then season with 1 tsp. salt and the pepper. Add another 1 tbsp. oil to pot. Brown meat in 3 batches over medium-high heat until nicely browned all over, 20 to 30 minutes total. Add meat to bacon.
3. Add remaining 1 tbsp. oil and flour to pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until flour is a shade darker, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 tsp. salt, the thyme, allspice, and tomato paste. Pour in ale and broth; scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add reserved beef and bacon and accumulated juices. Bring to a boil, covered, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
4. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, peel shallots and separate into lobes. Peel carrots and cut into 1- by 1/2-in. sticks.
5. Add shallots, cooked and raw mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots to beef and simmer, covered, 1 hour, or until beef is meltingly tender. Sprinkle with chives.
*Find at farmers' markets and well-stocked grocery stores.