Beef Stew With Pumpkin Ale

Ingredients

• 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 pound beef chuck steak, cubed (or beef stew meat)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tbsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 cups cubed potatoes (1/2 inch cubes)
• 2 cups sliced carrots (1/4 inch slices)
• 2 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash (1/2 inch cubes)
• 6 cups homemade beef stock (or good quality canned broth)
• 1 bottle pumpkin ale
• Serves 6

Directions

1. Place flour in a zip bag.
2. Season meat with salt and pepper. Place the meat in the bag with the flour and shake it around. Heat oil in a large pot on medium high. Remove meat from flour, shaking off excess, and place the meat in the hot oil. Brown the cubes of meat evenly on all sides. Remove the meat from the pot and place on a plate to rest. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook 30 more seconds. Add the tomato paste, sugar, thyme, worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, beef stock and beer and whisk to combine. Add the meat and any juices from the plate back to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat until it is simmering. Cover tightly and cook 1 hour.
3. In the meantime, melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat. Add the potatoes, carrots, and butternut (or other vegetables) and saute 10 minutes until they are beginning to brown. Set aside until ready to add to the stew. After the stew has cooked 1 hour, add the vegetables and continue to simmer 30 minutes more (sometimes longer) until the vegetables are tender but not falling apart. Use a spoon to skim any fat off of the surface of the stew or refrigerate the stew overnight and skim any fat the next day before reheating.