"Guinness Beef Stew" with a Kick!

When I was growing up, one of the first things I wanted to be "when I grew up" was a pitcher for the New York Yankees. I wanted to be among the Mariano's, the Andy's, and at the time, the Javier's (Vasquez.) Well, after my dad broke it to me that it was incredibly unlikely, I decided as a girl I would do the next best thing -- be the team doctor. You can do that and be a girl, right? Well, turns out, you have to like the sciences (and the rigor that comes with med school.) Not me!

Since that teenage realization, I've become (obviously) enraptured by other interests, but my Yankees are still near and dear to my heart. I shed tears when Mariano made his last entrance into Yankee Stadium -- and through my sadness I'm kind of excited that Derek Jeter is retiring (he'll have more free time to stumble on the realization that we're meant to be.)

Anyways -- As I've lived and learned, life moves on and so do our interests. It doesn't matter how many sports medicine moments you witness live in your living room (I'm talking about the infamous Jeter nose-dive circa 2004) -- life moves on. Now I'm a federal consultant with a passion for governmental change, strategy, and reorganization. Sound crazy? In a nutshell, its fascinating to me to see how government agencies "roll with the punches" when Congress or even the President changes and a new agenda comes into play. I also love cooking (I hope you realize that by now.) 

With that being said, I have a profound respect for other bloggers out there. They range in experience and fame, with some never even going to culinary school. A lot of them started when food blogging wasn't even a "thing," and my hat is tipped to them. I constantly look to them for inspiration, and I hope one day I can be like them -- and feel like I'm making an impact. 

Ali from GimmeSomeOven is one of those bloggers. I actually follow her on Instagram. While perusing her blog one day, I found a recipe for Guinness Beef Stew and I couldnt wait to try it! It came out with the perfect texture and was exactly what I needed for a cold night with my favorite guy -- and Guinness lover. I paired it with a couple slices of Rustic bread I found at Trader Joe's. We were "Irish" for the night and had a hell of a time! :)

Gimme Some Oven's Guinness Beef Stew

Servings: 6-8

What You'll Need:

• 3 lb. beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp salt**
• 2 tbsp. freshly-cracked black pepper** (you can also sub some for cayenne for a better kick)
• 3/4 cup flour, divided
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (11.2 oz.) bottle Guinness stout beer, divided
• 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick coins
• 1.5 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

The Step-by-Step:

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place 1/2 cup flour in a shallow dish.

Candid Camera -- I got caught! :)

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper; dredge beef in flour, shaking off excess. Add half of beef to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and beef. Remove beef from pan.

Add onion to the pot, then saute until softened and translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add the 1 cup of Guinness, and stir for 1 minute, being sure to scratch the bottom of the pan to lift up any brown bits. Add carrots, potatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, and the cooked meat (along with any of its accumulated juices) to pan. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low to simmer. Simmer over low for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding additional water as needed.

Whisk remaining 1/4 cup flour into the remaining Guinness until dissolved. Stir into stew until thickened. Remove bay leaf and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm garnished with chopped parsley if desired.

xoxo n

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A Note:

While I thoroughly respect Ali & her blog, I wouldn't be keeping it real if I thought this recipe was 100% perfect (and that's okay, she is human just like I am -- no recipe is perfect.) Maybe its the Jamaican in me, but when I prepared the recipe as is, I tasted it at the end and just HAD to add some spice. The meaty flavor was there, and the stew texture was there, but at the same time, it was bland! More salt and lots of pepper was a must!!! Other than that, there are no differences from the recipe above and the recipe on her blog here. And I completely understand if any of you have experienced the need to tailor any of my recipes to your preferences -- after all, individuality is what cooking is about, and as food bloggers, I think I can speak for Ali that we're here to educate, not dominate. Feel empowered to cook for you. And lastly, I gotta add, this stew -- no matter your spice preferences -- would be absolutely perfect for a baseball game.

So we're clear.... can you blame me?

Jeter Photo: Pinterest