Irish Stew

The potato is a staple in the Irish diet so I am naturally going to go to Irish stew in thinking about any Irish dish.  My mom loves it with barley but there are no rules.  I like it simple.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion (or you can use small whole like Cipolline or pearl onions)

3 cloves garlic

1 bottle Guinness beer (must be bottle, not can!)

2 pounds beef stew meat

4 medium potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

Add to favorites like Barley or when done top with dumplings or biscuts

Pour the olive oil into a skillet over medium heat. When the olive oil is hot, put in the chopped onion and garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 6 minutes.

Add the Guinness, beef, and sliced potatoes to the skillet and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Place quartered potatoes in a 6 quart slow cooker. Transfer Guinness beef mixture to slow cooker over the quartered potatoes.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until meat and vegetables are very tender. Add more salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

Alternate Method if adding dumplings

Cook the stew in crock pot on high for about 4 hours.

Parsley Dumplings

1 1/3 cups flour

1 handful fresh parsley (optional)

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

Make the dumpling dough: in a medium bowl, stir together the flour, parsley, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the cream and stir just until the dough comes together.

If you are adding dumplings the stew needs to be simmering. Drop the biscuit batter by the large spoonful on top of the simmering stew, cover and cook for 15 minutes, until the biscuits are cooked through. Do not remove the lid

Tomorrow I'll share another Irish recipe for St. Patty's Day.  

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.