Niki’s delicious Beef Stew, which also happens to be the BEST in the WORLD :)

Picture me, in a bowl! And you, with a spoon, eating me! :)

      What, you think my title is too pretentious? NEGATIVE. This is the best Beef Stew in the  world, which I will now extend to The Best Beef Stew in Existence, which I will further extend to The Best Beef Stew that Ever Has or Ever Will Exist, Ever. 

That being said, this is not a meal to make post haste, or with the clock ticking in tune to the hunger pangs in your stomach. This is a stew that requires, nay, demands finesse and the results are well worth it. Like almost all stews, it’s better the next day. Sometimes I even cook it the day before, just to get that Next Day Numminess.

Before I begin any recipe, I gather all of my ingredients, including cookware, and set up my working station. I usually plan on being in the kitchen awhile because I clean and organize as I go, and I just generally like traipsing about the kitchen! I love my kitchen, I love to cook, and I love Mise en Place. Mise en Place translated from French means “putting in place.” The Culinary Institute of America defines it as “everything in place.” Either way, it refers to the pre-measuring, washing, and chopping of ingredients that will be used in the construction of culinary delights. When I mention that I chopped this or diced that, and placed into a prep dish, I’m not kidding! I have a few sets of different sized bowls, condiment cups, and cutting boards/mats that I use for my Mise en Place.  And I always prep everything first. Hey, it’s my world...you’re just reading in it ! :)

They do kind of look like lemon slices, eh?

My least favorite part of the preparation of this Stew is searing the Beef cubes.  For starters, it contradicts my obsessive impulse to keep things clean. I’m not even close to being a messy cook but no matter how careful I am, searing splashes and drips greasy oil into crevices and onto surfaces I would prefer remain clean.  However, I never skip this step because it caramelizes and browns the sugars and proteins on the surface of the meat, resulting in a flavorful surface crust. Some theorize that it locks in the meats’ meaty juices as well, though it has been proven that searing actually de-juices meat. I’ll let you google that one on your own, to save myself 3 paragraphs :) Secondly, searing all those Beef Cubes, however hearty bite sized they may be, takes awhile. Thirdly, it’s a two handed job. Maybe even a three handed job with all the transferring of floured beef (another inevitable mess) to the skillet, turning to sear all sides, then transferring out of the skillet and starting again with another batch. And it’s hard to cook with one hand and drink a glass of wine with the other when you need all three hands for searing!

Whole Daikon

The ingredients list is mildly lengthy and you’ve probably thought: “Daikon? What the sam holy hill is Daikon?” Daikon is an Asian radish and is a staple of Macrobiotic Cooking (more to come on Macrobiotics in my next blog!) In this recipe, it not only adds nutritional value, it picks up the flavors of the stew quite remarkably, and adds to the overall heartiness. Due to the radish’s appearance and the way I had cut them, the first time I served it to a friend she said, “Did you put lemons in here?”  This was before she had her first bite and her eyes rolled back in her head, and men in loincloths had to be called to fan her back into consciousness. Yes, THAT good. The stew, not the men :)

Don’t skimp on or be nervous about the beer. There’s no alcohol content or taste, just a complex and delicious depth of flavor that cannot be achieved if you skip this step. The first few times I made this I used two cans, then because of the sheer quantity it makes I tried three and as my mother always says: “WOWZA!” It gives the stew an unidentifiable deliciousness that takes it over the top! For me, fresh herbs are a necessity but dried can always be substituted. The ratio is is 3:1 of fresh to dried. I always remember it as 1 tablespoon to one teaspoon.  Celery leaves are one of my favorite "secret ingredients." I use them in any and every recipe that calls for celery.  Mushrooms: Yummm! I love mushrooms. I’ve tried them in this recipe two different ways. I’ve sauteed them in the pan after searing the beef, reserved them, deglazed the pan and cooked the other veggies, then added them back at the end. This gives them a sear and a texture that is noticeable and absolutely divine. Alternately, I’ve just thrown them in with the other sautéing vegetables and called it a stew. I prefer the former but usually do the latter because its much easier! 

Stop stewing on it and make this stew! I’m 100% positive you will agree it’s the Bomb Dot Com! And for all of you who have been following Tony’s threatening purple and gold harassment of my front door I feel confident I have your vote: We’re going PINK! :)

Cook, Mise en Place, Cook!

I love Yew, Stew Recipe: 

2-4 lbs. Beef Brisket, or Top Round London Broil etc. cut into hearty bite size chunks

4 tablespoons Flour

1/4-1/2 cup Canola Oil

2-3 14.9 ounce cans Guinness Beer

3 cups Beef Broth

1 cup Red Wine OR 4 cups total Beef Broth

2 lbs. Portobello Mushrooms, sliced/diced as you prefer

2 Onions, diced

3 stalks Celery including leafy tops, diced

3 carrots (I leave skin on), sliced into half moons

1-2 cups Daikon (skin on), sliced into half moons. (may substitute turnip, radish, rutabaga, or other root vegetable)

5 cloves Garlic, minced

5 potatoes, cubed ( I lke to use red and leave the skin on)

3 tablespoons of Vinegar such as: Malt, Red Wine, Sherry or your preference. 

7-10 sprigs fresh Thyme, chopped to make 1.5-2 teaspoons

10-15 leaves fresh Sage, chopped to make 1.5-2 teaspoons

1 sprig or less fresh Rosemary, chopped to make 1/2 teaspoon

4-5 Bay leaves

1/2-1 teaspoon of Crushed Red Pepper, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, or to taste

1. Toss beef cubes in a bag with flour, salt, and pepper and shake until evenly coated. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and sear meat on all sides. Transfer seared meat directly to heavy bottom or large stock pot/dutch oven. Set skillet aside.
2. When all meat is seared and in the pot pour in beer and bring to a boil. Boil until beer has reduced to about 1/3 of original volume. Add beef stock, cover, and simmer 45 minutes to an hour or until meant becomes tender. 
3. Gather a few small and large prep dishes. Chop and add the onion, carrot, celery, daikon/turnip to a large prep dish. Dice and add the potato to another and cover with cold water to prevent browning.  To a small prep dish add minced garlic. To three more add the rosemary, sage, and thyme or leave them in little piles on the cutting board. 
4. In the skillet used to sear beef cook mushrooms and set aside, if doing this as a separate step. If not, add onion, carrot, celery, mushroom, daikon or turnip and 1/2 teaspoon each of rosemary, sage, crushed red pepper, bay leaves, and thyme and cook until onions are lightly browned. Add garlic during last few minutes. By this time meat should be tender.
5. Add veggie mixture to meat/beer broth along with potatoes. Cover and simmer another hour or so. 15 minutes before serving add remaining herbs and vinegar and set to lowest simmer possible. Also, if you sauteed and reserved mushrooms separately, add them at this time as well. 
6. Enjoy your one pot , delicious, hearty meal! Ok, it does take more than one pot :( But, you have to time to clean all the other pots while it simmers for the last hour making it a one pot meal for at least an hour!