Mother Lizar's Beef Stew

This recipe of my grandmother's was passed to me from my mother. It is basically an "Irish Stew", keeps well and tastes very good. This stew freezes very well and would make a great make-ahead dish.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  lb beef, cubed
• 2  tablespoons bacon fat or 2  tablespoons  lard
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 2  cups  beef stock
• 2  bay leaves
• 5  medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 3  medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 3  carrots, scraped
•  fresh parsley or  dried parsley
•  salt
• 2  bouillon cubes (optional)

Directions

1. For this very old recipe to work it must be made in a cast iron pot or skillet. Other pans can, of course be used, but the results are not the same. Melt the grease in the pot; coat the meat cubes with flour and add them to the hot grease.
2. Stir and fry till all sides are brown.
3. When the meat is nice and brown but not cooked, add enough water or beef stock to cover, the bay leaves, parsley, and salt. If using water you may reinforce with two bouillon cubes.
4. Cover, and cook on low for about an hour, adding water or broth as necessary.
5. When the meat is tender add some scrapped carrots, cut in half.
6. Cook these for about 20 minutes then add peeled, quartered potatoes and several peeled, halved onions.
7. Cook for another twenty minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
8. At this time the stew may be eaten, however it is really better the next day. That is the way I suggest serving it.