Recipe Idea: Beer Braised Irish Stew and Colcannon

Still trying to decide what will be on your menu this Sunday for St. Patrick's Day?  Every year we make corned beef and make Reuben Sandwiches for our neighbors and their family.  My children love to eat the corned beef and the adults love the sandwiches.  This year we plan on making it again, but I was thinking we would do something different throughout the weekend.  We are having a St. Patrick's Weekend!  Here's a recipe I will be trying for Irish Beef Stew.  When we were in Ireland, we made sure to try this tasty stew at one of the pubs.  YUM!

This will take a bit of time to prepare, so that's why the weekend works perfectly...husband's home, so more time for me to prep and cook the goodies!

A side note, Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish mainly consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage (in this recipe, we are using cabbage).

Ingredients:

Irish Stew:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 1 cup coarsely chopped carrot
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle dark beer
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Colcannon:

• 3 slices bacon
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• 1/4 cup milk, warmed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until very hot, and brown the meat in 2 batches, stirring to brown the cubes on all sides. Return all the meat to the Dutch oven, sprinkle with flour, and stir lightly to coat the meat with flour. Stir in onion, carrots, dark beer, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cover.
3. Place the Dutch oven into the preheated oven, and cook for 45 minutes; uncover, stir the stew, and cook until the beef is very tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 more minutes.
4. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
5. About 30 minutes before the stew is ready, make the colcannon: Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
6. Place the cabbage into a microwave-safe bowl, and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on High for about 2 1/2 minutes; uncover (watch out for steam) and stir the cabbage. Cover and microwave for about 2 1/2 more minutes, until the cabbage is slightly tender but not mushy. Drain excess liquid, and set the cabbage aside, covered.
7. Place the potatoes into a large bowl, and add milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Beat the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cabbage, crumbled bacon, and parsley until well combined.
8. To serve, place a scoop of colcannon onto a plate, make a hollow, and fill with braised beef stew.

I will be making this traditional Irish staple on Saturday.  Haven't tried it yet, but I am sure it will be delicious!  

Thank you to All Recipes for the yummy dinner idea!