Dehydrated vegetables – onions, carrots, and celery, which come in cans, may be substituted for fresh to save time on chopping; these vegetables are removed from the finished dish, but add a delicious flavor to this stew. It’s best served over mashed potatoes.
This warming dish is perfect to serve on a cold evening, and since it’s Irish in origin, would be a good choice for St. Patrick’s Day. Make sure it’s served with either Irish Soda Bread or Irish Potato Rolls
6 Servings
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds beef round, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 medium onion, chopped
2 leeks (white parts and tender green parts only), sliced
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups double strength beef broth (canned or made with bouillon)
2/3 cup Guinness
3 slices thick bacon, diced, cooked until crisp, and drained (or 3 tablespoons crumbled bacon from the package)
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, left whole
6 ounces shallots, peeled, but left whole, or use frozen pearl onions
1/4 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Heat the oil in a frying pan on high heat and brown the meat slices; transfer them to a large (4-5 quart) slow cooker.
- Add the onion, leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic.
- Pour the beef broth and Guinness over the vegetables.
- Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours.
- Remove the meat from the slow cooker and set aside.
- Strain the cooking liquid and reserve, discarding the vegetables or using them for another dish.
- Return the meat to the slow cooker, and add the bacon, mushrooms, and shallots.
- Mix the flour with the reserved cooking liquid and mix until smooth. This is most easily accomplished in a shaker or with a hand blender, adding a little liquid at a time until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the broth mixture into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low about 2 hours more or until the mushrooms and shallots are tender and the cooking liquid is thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Serve over mashed potatoes.
Amount Per Serving
Calories 421 Calories from Fat 132
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 31% Protein 41% Carb. 26%
Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 15 g
Saturated Fat 4 g
Cholesterol 101 mg
Sodium 2887 mg
Total Carbohydrate 27 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 44 g
Vitamin A 34% Vitamin C 49% Calcium 0% Iron 33%