This hearty and healthier Irish beef stew may be better for you, but it does not sacrifice any flavor. Simmering for about 2 hours makes the meat and vegetables fork tender and delicious.
Healthier Irish Beef Stew
Yield: About 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
This hearty and healthier Irish beef stew may be better for you, but it does not sacrifice any flavor. Simmering for about 2 hours makes the meat and vegetables fork tender and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs. lean beef stew meat, trim any fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cups onions, chopped (about 3 onions)
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 (24 oz.) container of reduced sodium beef stock or broth (3 cups)
- 1 bottle beer, Guinness or other stout
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks (~2 potatoes)
- 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks (~2 potatoes)
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch slices
- 1 1/2 cups parsnips, peeled and cut into ½ inch slices
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- A little water
Instructions
- Coat a large nonstick pot or Dutch oven with cooking spray. Add beef cubes to pan and cook for 5 minutes, over medium-high heat. Turn to brown all sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef from pan.
- Heat 2 tsp. of oil in same pan. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and continue to cook until onions are soft, about 2 more minutes. Stir often.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Stir in beef stock and beer, scraping down the sides to loosen the browned bits.
- Add back browned beef and stir in bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
- Add potatoes, sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 40 minutes.
- Stir in carrots and parsnips, cover and simmer for 30 more minutes.
- In a small bowl, add cornstarch and a little water and using a whisk or fork, slowly mix to dissolve. Add dissolved cornstarch to stew and mix well. Cook uncovered over medium-high heat until stew is thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 509Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 95mgSodium 461mgCarbohydrates 61gFiber 9gSugar 18gProtein 39g
Nutrition data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix, and should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate.
Photo: A Healthier Michigan / CC BY-SA
