BONNIE ESTABROOK’S BEEF IN BEER

It’s definitely soup and stew weather with bone-chilling temperatures outside, so I decided to try a recipe that’s been in my files for so long, I can’t remember when or where it came from.  My guess is Woman’s Day or Better Homes and Gardens.  Bonnie Estabrook, from Andover, Massachusetts, is the author of this recipe, and it sounded good to me, even though I wasn’t sure how much of it I would eat.   I try to limit my beef consumption, and my hubby is a carnivore.   So this one was for him.  I found a can of Yuengling’s Lager in the fridge, brought over by one of the Sunday afternoon armchair quarterbacks, and thought that would go well with the beef.
I didn’t change much.  I thickened the stew with white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose.  Guy likes peas in his stew, so I added a package of frozen peas at the end of the cooking time.  I oven roasted some fingerlings and carrots and added them to the stew, also at the end of cooking time, and I sprinkled extra parsley on top of the stew.  Guy gave it two thumbs up, and I thought it was quite tasty.

Bonnie Estabrook’s Beef in Beer, adapted Rating:  8 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS: 1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. butter or Smart Balance buttery spread 1-1/2 lbs. lean chuck, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1” cubes (I started with 3 lbs, and total weight after trimming was 1-1/2 lbs.) 1 tsp. fine sea salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper 2 cups sliced onions 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour  6 oz. low-sodium beef or chicken broth 6 oz. beer or lager 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped + extra for sprinkling on top of stew 1 bay leaf 3 fresh thyme sprigs 2 garlic cloves, peeled,  on wooden picks 1 package (10 oz.) frozen peas In a large, heavy ovenproof pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat.   Brown meat in batches to avoid overcrowding.  Transfer meat to a bowl, using a slotted spoon.  Season with salt and pepper.  When all meat is browned, add onions to drippings in the pot; cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits, 3 to 5 minutes, or till onions begin to soften.  Heat oven to 350F.  Return beef and any collected juices to  pot.  Sprinkle  with flour and stir to mix well.  Stir in broth, beer, sugar, 3 Tbsp. parsley, bay leaf, thyme sprigs and garlic.  Cover pot; bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven.  Bake about 2 hours, stirring once or twice, until meat is tender and sauce is thickened.  If desired, stir in 1 (10-oz.) package of frozen peas when stew is about done cooking.  Discard garlic and bay leaf.  Sprinkle with more chopped parsley.  Serve stew over boiled noodles or with boiled or oven-roasted potatoes and carrots.  Crusty French bread is a nice accompaniment.  Yield:  4 servings