Dark Horse Reserve Special Stew

It seems my time in the kitchen has been short and sweet these days, so lately I’ve been focusing on making large amounts of one thing, and then eating it for a few days. I guess it’s the price I pay for working full time and having to visit all these wonderful Michigan breweries on my days off. But I don’t mind, especially when it means I get to enjoy this fabulous stew for days at a time as the cold weather here in Michigan is finally starting to stick.

This is not a quick stew. All told, it took me about 3 hours to make. But the house smelled divine all day, and the end result (especially the day after) was a warm and wonderful, hearty stew filled with delicious root veggies, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and best of all, Dark Horse's Reserve Special. The beer not only helps tenderize the beef, it also gives a rich malty flavor to this chunky stew. The whole meal rounds out nicely with some warm, crusty bread, and, well.. more Reserve Special.


To make this stew, you will need:

2 pounds stew meat or beef chuck steak, boneless and well trimmed, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

4-6 cloves garlic, chopped (depending on how much you love garlic)

2 cups quartered mushrooms

1 1/2 - 3 tablespoons flour

1 tablesoon fresh thyme

Pinch (or two) of crushed cayenne

Pinch of black pepper

12 ounces Reserve Special beer

15 ounces beef stock

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 Bay leaf

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped potatoes

Chopped parsley for garnish

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a dutch oven that has a tight fitting cover. Add the beef and brown well, stirring occasionally to brown all sides (turn the heat down if necessary so meat does not burn). Brown meat in several small batches to avoid over-crowding the pan.

Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until onion is slightly browned.

Combine the flour, thyme, black pepper and cayenne in a bowl and then add to the beef, stirring to make a roux. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the roux is slightly browned (be careful not to burn it). If the gravy does not thicken enough, whisk some more flour and water together and then slowly add to the pot until desired thickness is achieved.

Stir in the beer and beef stock and bring to a boil, stirring until the sauce thickens and any lumps are cooked out.

Add the carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, Worcestershire, and bay leaf and then cover the pot and place in a 325 degree F oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Remove bay leaf, correct seasoning, ladle to bowls and serve with bread. Enjoy!