Beef and Guinness Stew

1.Cut the beef into 2 inch cubes, patting dry if needed. Season them with salt and pepper and set aside.

**Could substitute 3 pounds of stew meat instead, if preferred. If you'd prefer to just use one pound of stew meat, simply pair down recipe accordingly.**

2. Dice bacon into small pieces (you could use jowl bacon instead of regular for an even richer flavor), and add to a heavy bottomed skillet or pan over medium-high heat, cooking until browned and crisp.

3. Keeping the fat in the pan, remove the bacon bits and set into a large stew pot or slow cooker.

4. Add beef cubes in small batches to pan with bacon grease and sear on all sides until browned (about 4-5 minutes). Add seared pieces to the slow cooker or large stew pot with bacon.

**Add a touch of oil to the pan if needed at any point**

5. Turn the heat down to medium and with the fat still remaining, add in the garlic and onions. Saute with a dash of salt until light brown.

6. Stir in flour (use gluten free if needed) well, then add Guinness.

7. Continue mixing well to ensure flour dissolves.

8. Once dissolved, pour entire skillet mixture into slow cooker or stew pot.

9. Add tomato paste, broth (either chicken or beef), carrots, celery, bay leaves, and thyme to slow cooker or stew pot and stir to combine. The liquid should cover the beef and veggies - if it doesn't, add either more broth or more water. **If you add water, you may need to add more salt to deepen the flavor. Taste and test along the cooking process to ensure.**

10. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours for fork-tender beef. After, remove the lid and cook an additional 15-20 minutes to thicken the stew, stirring occasionally. 

**If you are using a slow cooker, set on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours instead.**

11, Taste test the stew, adding salt and pepper as needed.

12. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

13. Serve over mashed potatoes or alongside Irish soda bread, and enjoy!

Recipe inspired by allrecipes.com.