Girl Gone Domestic

While the sun is shining here in the Pacific Northwest and spring is in the air, I have friends on Facebook that are in other parts of the country buried in snow.  This recipe is an ode to them (except the vegetarian), stay warm dear friends, and eat well.

Hearty Beef Stew

adapted from a recipe in this cookbook

3 lbs. grass-fed beef stew meat, or roast cut into 1 1/2 ” cubes

salt & pepper

3T. ghee, lard or coconut oil, (I used some bacon fat I had saved)

2 medium onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, pressed

4t. arrowroot powder

1c. gluten-free beer or red wine (if you can’t do alcohol, use more broth)

2c. chicken or beef broth

2 bay leaves

1t. thyme

4 cups of raw root vegetables, cut into 1″ pieces (you can use carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, potatoes, your choice)

1c. frozen peas

1/4c. minced flat leaf parsley

Dry meat and season with salt & pepper.  Heat oven to 300º.  Heat a dutch oven on the stove top to medium high heat.  Add 1-2 T. fat.  Brown meat in hot fat in batches.  remove from pot.  Add another tablespoon of fat, onions and 1/4t. salt.  Cook stirring frequently, scraping bottom of the pot to loosen browned bits.  Cook 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Stir in arrowroot, cook 1 minute.  Add wine, beer or 1 cup broth, scraping remaining browned bits, stirring until thickened.  Gradually add remaining broth, stirring.  Add bay leaves and thyme.  Bring to a simmer.  Add meat and return to simmer.  Cover and place in oven for 1 hour.

Remove pot from oven and add root vegetables.  Cover and return to oven for 45 min.-1 hour, or until vegetables are tender.  Remove from oven, add peas, cover, allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Stir in parsley, discard bay leaves, adjust seasoning, serve immediately.