Loree's Irish Stew with Beef

I spent a week in Ireland and fell in love with the food there! I have been trying to recreate the stew I had while there. This is close. Serve over mashed potatoes. Next is the brown bread...

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 35 mins
• Calories: 447 Calories

Ingredients

• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound bacon
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 pound carrots, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 cups beef broth, or as needed
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 (15 ounce) can Irish stout beer (such as Guinness®)
• 3 pounds boneless beef round steak, cubed
• 2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place bacon in a heavy Dutch oven or enameled cast iron pot. Fry over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels and cut into bite-sized pieces when cool enough to handle. Leave bacon grease in the pot.

Step 2

Mix flour, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Toss beef in flour mixture to coat.

Step 3

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the bacon grease and heat over medium-high. Add 1/2 of the beef; cook and stir until brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add second 1/2 of beef and repeat with remaining oil. Set beef aside.

Step 4

Saute onions and garlic in the pot with beef drippings, 5 to 7 minutes. Add beer, tomato sauce, carrots, celery, sugar, and thyme. Add beef and bacon, and enough beef broth to cover; bring to a boil.

Step 5

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until beef is tender, about 2 hours. Uncover, raise heat to medium-high, and boil to thicken, about 15 minutes.