Irish Stew with Guinness

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg beef, from the leg or lamb from the leg, if necessary also 50/50
• 500 g carrot(s)
• 500 g waxy potatoes or 500 g parsnips or 50/50
• 4 stalk(s) Celery , depending on size only 1 – 2 stalks
• 2 onions
• 1 jar gravy or beef stock, approx. 400 ml
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp, heaped flour to thicken
• 2 bottles of beer (Guinness), 0.33 liters each
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 3 tbsp clarified butter or olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 bunch of parsley

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours; Total time approx. 3 hours 45 minutes

Pat the meat dry, clean it, and cut it into 3-5 cm pieces if it isn’t already bite-sized. Wash and peel the potatoes, carrots, and parsnips, and also cut them into bite-sized pieces; I always adjust the size to the meat. Clean the celery and cut it into 2 cm pieces. Roughly dice the onion. Place a roasting pan on the stove, add the oil, and heat it up. Brown the meat in batches on all sides to develop a roasted aroma. Season well with salt and pepper. Then remove the meat from the roasting pan and set aside, reserving any cooking juices. Heat a little more oil in the roasting pan and fry the onions, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and finally the celery one after the other. Fry the vegetables for 5-10 minutes, add the tomato paste, and sweat them gently. Sprinkle with flour and deglaze with a little Guinness. Bring to a boil briefly and add the rest of the first bottle of Guinness. Add the meat, gravy, and stock to the vegetables. Add the bay leaves, parsley leaves, and thyme sprigs to allow the herbs to develop their full flavor. Once everything has come to a boil, reduce the heat and let the stew simmer for about 2.5 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally and gradually add the second bottle of Guinness (if desired). Serve with mashed potatoes.