Holly Goldberg Sloan's Beer & Beef Stew

2 to 3 lbs of beef (pot roast or stew meat) cut into chunks
2 large onions, chopped into fork-size chunks
4 strips of bacon
4 chopped carrots
2 stalks of chopped celery
3 small potatoes
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 bottle of good beer (meaning NOT lite beer)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pepper (as you like it)
1 bay leaf

In heavy-duty skillet, cook bacon.  REMOVE and set aside.
In bacon oil, cook BEEF CHUNKS with the 2 cloves of garlic, after lightly dusting the meat with the flour. REMOVE and set aside.
In bacon and beef oil, cook chopped ONION until limp and browned.

In OVENWARE baking dish, place beef, bacon (now chopped) and onion.

Pour the beer over the mixture.
Toss the carrots, celery and potatoes into the mix.
Sprinkle the brown sugar, salt, pepper on top.  Put in the bay leaf.

Place in the oven.  Cook for at least an hour at 350° F (maybe longer--depending on the size/depth of the pan, and the way things are going).  If mixture gets too thick, add more beer, or a half of a cup of water. 

Serve alone or with rice or noodles and a good glass of red wine.

ENJOY!  Great the next day re-heated!

 

Holly Goldberg Sloan