I ordered stewing beef from the ranch a while back, and in my freezer it sat. Inspirationless.

Until one cool summer day (because yes, I live in the Canadian Prairies, and sometimes it’s cold in July. Like sweaters and jeans cold. For real…) a craving for beef stew popped into my head. Off I went to google a recipe to play with, and went from there. It started simmering, and as the afternoon beat on, the aroma wafting around the kitchen was completely making me salivate.

It was delicious. Like, ridiculously yummy. Like eat-two-bowlfuls-and-hope-hubby-forgets-to-take-the-leftovers-to-school-for-lunch kinda good. The kids gobbled it up, even the little one who thinks that breastmilk is pretty much the perfect food ever and why would you ever want anything else?

So, without further ado… here’s the recipe for you all to enjoy. Do come back and let me know if you enjoyed it after you finish licking the bowl

Amazing Irish Beef Stew

1/3 c. butter
2 lbs stewing beef, cut into chunks
8 cloves of garlic
8-10 c. homemade bone broth (I used chicken broth because that’s what I had on hand, but the logical choice would be beef broth)
1/8 c. tomato paste
1-2 T. honey (I didn’t measure, I just took a large spoonful out of the honey bucket)
1 T. dried thyme
1.5 T. worcestershire sauce (watch the ingredients as a lot of brands contain lots of junk. Lea&Perrins isn’t too bad)
2-3 bay leaves (depending on their size)
1/4 c. butter
5 cups peeled and chopped potatoes
2 small or 1 large onion, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
1/4 c. rice flour (or any other thickener) and water

Method: Melt 1/3 c. butter in a large stock pot. Brown stewing beef on all sides. Add garlic, saute for 2 minutes. Add half of your bone broth, along with honey, tomato paste, thyme, worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Simmer on low, mostly covered.

While the above is simmering, melt 1/4 c. butter in a frying pan (cast-iron is best if you have one), and saute onions, carrots, and potatoes for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the bone broth, and simmer for 20 minutes, until veggies are tender.

Add veggies concoction to the beef mixture. Stir together. Keep simmering.

In an air-tight container (a mason jar works well), shake rice flour and 1 c. water, until dissolved completely. Add to stew, stir, keep at a bubbling simmer until thickened, then turn off heat, and serve.

Amazing the first time. 

Amazing as left-overs.

Freezable {in theory}