Recipe - The Best Beef Stew

2 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoon Olive oil
6 md Onions; cut in wedges
2 One half pound Stewing beef*
One fourth cup Allpurpose flour
341 ml Beer; (one can)
28 ounce Canned tomatoes
One fourth teaspoon Dried oregano
One fourth teaspoon Dried thyme
One fourth teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoon Olive oil
2 cup Mushrooms; thickly cut or sliced up
Pepper
Chopped fresh parsley

* boneless short rib, blade or rump roast

In large dutch oven or ovenproof casserole with lid, heat half the butter
and oil over medium heat. Cook onions until beginning to brown, about 10
minutes. Reduce heat to low. Cook 7 to 10 minutes or until very tender and
golden. Remove onions; set aside. Wipe casserole.

Lightly coat meat in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining butter and
oil in casserole over medium high heat. Add meat in batches (pieces should
not touch) and brown well on both sides. Add to onions.

Pour off any fat. Add beer and bring to boil, stirring to scrape up brown
bits from bottom. Simmer beer over medium heat until reduced by onethird,
about three minutes.

Return onions and beef to casserole, along with tomatoes and their juices,
oregano, thyme, and salt. Cover snugly. Cook in preheated 325F oven 1 3/4
to 2 hours or until meat is fork tender. Heat olive oil in heavy skillet.
Add mushrooms. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, turning at intervals,
until nicely browned. Add to stew. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Garnish with parsley.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe by: Toronto Star's Best of the Year article, December 29, 1993

Posted to recipeludigest by GramWag@aol.com on Feb 7, 1998