Beef and Beer Stew

Pretty standard stew started on the stove and finished in the oven. One of my favorite ways to use beer. Great on a cold day.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 2  lbs beef (any will do, if a roast cut into 1-inch cubes. If using steak brown before slicing into strips again)
•  flour, for coating meat
• 1  onion, chopped
• 8  ounces mushrooms, quartered (button or cremini)
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 4  garlic cloves, minced or grated in
• 1  dark beer
• 1  lb carrot, peeled and cut in 1 inch pieces
• 6  medium  red potatoes, halved and quartered (roughly 2 pounds)
• 2  bay leaves
• 4  cups beef broth
• 6  ounces  frozen peas
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Dry meat, season with salt and pepper, and coat with flour.
3. Brown the meat and transfer to a plate when well browned. Add onion and mushrooms to the pot, cook until the mushrooms are browned and onions softened.
4. Add tomato paste and cook until the paste deepens in color. Toss in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds.
5. Poor in the beer and allow to cook a minute until the suds are gone. Add in the potatoes, carrots, and bay leaves.
6. Tip the juices that have accumulated around the meat into the pot and add in the meat (Slice meat if using a steak variety and then add to the pot.).
7. Add in a teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pour in the beef broth.
8. Cover and place in the preheated oven and cook for 3 hours.
9. Remove from the oven and add in the peas. Recover and allow the peas to thaw and heat through, about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.