Seasonal Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons bacon drippings
• ¼ cup flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 ½ pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 pound celery, sliced
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles ale
• 1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
• 1 turnip, peeled and chopped
• 1 pound baby red potatoes, washed
• ¾ cup parsley, chopped
• 4 whole bay leaves

Step 1

Lightly heat the bacon grease in a large pot over medium heat. While that’s warming up, mix the flour with some salt and pepper, then toss the beef cubes in this mixture to coat them evenly. Brown the meat in the bacon grease until it develops a nice crust, then transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and set it aside.

Step 2

Add a splash of olive oil to the same pot and gently cook the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery over low heat until they soften. Stir in the vinegar and sugar, then pour in the broth. Bring everything to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.

Step 3

Once the broth is bubbling, return the beef to the pot and pour in the beer. Add the parsnips, turnips, red potatoes, parsley, and bay leaves. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for about 90 minutes, stirring every now and then to keep everything from sticking.