I know the topic is chicken, but I made the best Irish stew ever this week.
Step one - cut 3 lbs of stew beef into bite-sized 1” chunks as I didn’t want to cook this too long. In a gallon sized bag (measurements approximate) 1/4 cup of flour, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 teaspoon of course salt, and 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper. Throw the cut up meat in the bag and toss to coat.
Cut 4 slices of bacon into a 1/2 dice and cook over medium-high heat in an oven friendly dutch oven until the fat is rendered. Remove bacon and set it aside. If not enough fat, add small amounts of veggie oil as needed. Brown the flour-coated meat in the hot oil in small batches to give it a nice seared brown coating. Add more small amounts of oil between batches as need. Put cooked beef with bacon after it has seared.
Reduce the heat on the pan to medium-low. To the oil remaining in the pan add 3 peeled onions, cut into big chunks (I cut mine into 1/8ths). Add a bit of water to pan if needed. Cook for a few minutes till the onions start to sweat. Add 5 carrots and 5 parsnips, peeled and cut 1/2” on the diagonal, with a bit more water, if needed. Cook for a few minutes to infuse with flavor and coat with browned pan bits. Remove veggies from pan and set aside with the bacon and stew beef.
Add one TBS of tomato paste and 1/2 tsp of dried thyme to pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes to let flavors bloom. Add one can of Guinness Stout and turn heat up to high, scraping browned bits up from the bottom of the pan. When the Stout comes to a boil, add back to the pan the bacon, seared beef, and all the vegetables, Add 14 oz can of beef broth. Give one good stir, cover, and put in a 325 degree oven for one hour.
After one hour, take the pan out of the oven, remove the lid, give everything a good stir, and add 3/4 of pound of potatoes cut into 1 inch chunks. I used some small Yukon Golds cut into 1/4’s. Put the cover back on the pan and put back in the oven for 45 minutes.
Take the pan out of the oven, add 1 cup of frozen peas and give another good stir. Put back in the oven, without the lid, for 15 minutes. This will thicken the stew a surprising amount.
After 15 minutes, take out of oven, let sit a few minutes (if you can wait), give a final stir, add salt and/or pepper if needed, and devour. I had a tomatoes and roasted beet salad over lettuce before the stew and ciabatta bread on the side.
It was so good, Irish or not!!
Interesting!
I also made a beef stew just yesterday. I make mine using a pressure cooker:
Brown 1 - 2 lbs cubed beef in 1 tbsp of olive oil in the pressure pot, then add 1 sliced medium onion and stir until onion slices are tender. Next, add 1 cup of water, attach pressure lid and cook with a slow rocking motion for 15 minutes then cool down quickly under running water.
Add two medium cubed potatoes, 4 - 5 medium sliced carrots, 2 - 3 stalks of sliced celery, 1 medium diced bell pepper, 1 can whole drained corn, 1 can drained green peas, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1/2 can of tomato paste, 1 tsp black pepper, 1-1/2 tsp sea salt and same amount of sugar, 1 tsp dried basil, 2 tbsp of fresh parsley, and 1/2 tsp paparika.
Add 2 more cups of water or bring water to height of vegatables. Bring to a steam while stirring and then reattach pressure lid. Cook at a slow rocking motion for 8 minutes and cool pot in a pan of water until pressure is removed.
Easy and quick to make and great on a cold winter's day!