I appreciate those “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” buttons that folks sport on St. Patty’s Day as much as the next person. But I think we should be wearing “Beer Me, I’m Human” buttons everyday. Especially us Craftappers! Yet that doesn’t diminish my feelings regarding March 17th. I do have Irish blood in my veins, and every year always feel the beer and food cravings that come with the holiday.
The “Guinness with a plate of corned beef and cabbage” deal ran its course for me a while ago, as I now like to opt for something a little more robust, both on the beer side and the food side. We have such a wealth of great stout beers being cranked out by our Craftapped brewing partners, and a hearty Irish Stew has all of the rib sticking goodness I appreciate in a plate of food. Not to mention, recipes like that tend to fall into that winter and late-winter place on the calendar. Once the farmers markets start jamming, the transition to the fresh veg and lighter beers will take hold.
So while the season is here and remains upon us, with St. Pat’s as good a tipping point from winter into spring as any, grab a growler of your favorite Minnesota craft-brewed stout, make a trip to the butcher, and get your grub on, Irish Style. And by that, I don’t mean eat with your family and then get in a fist fight afterward. Damn, those stereotypes are hard to get past.
Beef and Beer Irish Stew with Colcannon
Ingredients – Stew
- 2 T. canola or vegetable oil
- 3 lbs. of stew beef, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (my butcher, Hackenmueller Meats in Robbinsdale, next to Wicked Wort, has beef for stew already cubed and in the case. Otherwise, get a nice chuck roast.)
- 2 T. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrot, chopped
- 12 oz. of your favorite MN craft-brewed stout
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
Ingredients – Colcannon
- 3 slices bacon
- 2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup milk, warmed
- 2 T. butter
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 T. fresh parsley, minced
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
-Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until very hot, and brown the meat in 2 batches, stirring to brown the cubes on all sides. Return all the meat to the Dutch oven, sprinkle with flour, and stir lightly to coat the meat with flour. Stir in onion, carrots, MN stout, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, red pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn off heat and cover.
-Place the covered Dutch oven into the preheated oven, and cook for 45 minutes; uncover, stir the stew, and cook further until the beef is very tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 more minutes.
-Cook the bacon until nicely browned. Drain the grease on some paper towels and let the bacon cool. Crumble and set aside.
-About 30 minutes before the stew is ready, make the colcannon. Put the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a couple of minutes.
-The cabbage goes into a microwave-safe bowl, and add about 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on high for about 2-1/2 minutes, then uncover and stir the cabbage. Be careful of the steam. If you burn yourself, place injured skin against a cold beer bottle for 1-minute. Open bottle and drink beer while continuing recipe. Cover the cabbage again and microwave for another 2-minutes or so, until kind of tender but not mushy. Drain the liquid and set aside, covered.
-Move the potatoes to a large bowl, and add milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Beat the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the cabbage, crumbled bacon, and parsley until well combined.
-To serve, place a scoop of colcannon onto a plate, make a sizable divot and fill with stew.