Barbecued Beef Stew With Cheddared Corn Pudding

Hearty dish with a zesty barbecue sauce. A nice salad or greens on the side make a great addition. Reheats well and flavor actually improves after being refrigerated for a day or two so it's a great do-ahead dish for a party or pot-luck. The stew itself can be frozen for up to 3 months, but the corn pudding tends to separate if it is frozen (though the flavor remains good).

• Ready In: 4 hrs 8 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3 1⁄2 lbs  beef  chuck roast, trimmed & cut into 1 . 5-inch chunks
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 3  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 3  onions, chopped
• 12  ounces beer
• 1⁄2 cup cider vinegar
• 2  tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup ketchup
• 3  tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2  teaspoons ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon dry mustard
• 3⁄4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1  dried chipotle chile

• Cheddared Corn Pudding

• 3  eggs, beaten
• 2 (16 ounce) cans  creamed corn
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3  tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
• 2⁄3 cup  saltine crumbs (18 crackers)
• 1⁄2 cup cornmeal
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1⁄2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Season the beef with salt and pepper.
3. In a Dutch oven or large, flameproof casserole dish, heat the oil over med-high heat.
4. Sauté the meat in 2 batches, turning frequently, until browned all over (7 minutes per batch).
5. As the meat is browned, remove it to a plate.
6. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring often, until golden brown (7 minutes).
7. Return the meat to the pot along with any juices that have collected on the plate.
8. Add the beer, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, mustard, marjoram, and chipotle.
9. Bring just to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven.
10. Bake the stew until the meat is fork tender and beginning to fall apart (2-2.5 hours).
11. Remove stew from oven, then increase oven temperature to 350°F.
12. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat to a bowl.
13. Skim all excess fat from the top of the stew.
14. Remove the chipotle chile.
15. Tear off and discard the stem end and puree the chile in a food processor or blender with 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
16. Stir the chile puree back into the stew.
17. If the sauce is thin, boil uncovered,.
18. stirring often and skimming once or twice, until thickened slightly (5-7 minutes).
19. Return the beef to the stew.
20. Pour the beef and sauce into a 10x14x3-inch (or 11x13x3-inch) casserole dish.
21. Beat the eggs, creamed corn, cayenne pepper, butter, buttermilk, cracker crumbs, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda until well blended.
22. Stir in the cheese.
23. Spoon the corn pudding on top and spread evenly.
24. Bake until the corn pudding is golden on top, lightly browned around the edges, and just set in the center (45-55 minutes).