Beef and Guinness Stew

I love a hearty stew and Guinness so this recipe immediately appealed to me when I saw it in the March issue of Cooking Light (it seems a lot of recipes did). This is definitely a weekend dish because it takes a few hours for the stew to cook and requires quite a bit of prep work chopping vegetables. It was definitely worth the effort.

Beef and Guinness Stew
from Cooking Light, March 2010

2 T. canola oil, divided
1 T. butter, divided
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 lbs. boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 t. salt, divided
5 c. chopped onion (about 3 onions)
1 T. tomato paste
4 c. fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness Draught
1 T. raisins
1 t. caraway seeds
1/2 t. black pepper
1.5 c. (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices carrot (about 8 oz.)
1.5 c. (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices parsnip (about 8 oz.)
1.5 c. (1/2-inch) cubed, peeled turnip (about 8 oz.)
2 T. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat 1 T. oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1.5 t. butter to pan. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 t. salt; dredge beef in flour. Add half of beef to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown beef on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 T. oil and 1.5 t. butter, and beef.

2. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return meat to pan. Stir in remaining 1/2 t. salt, caraway seeds, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil. Cook 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, parsnip, and turnip. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.