Hunter’s Stew
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WHAT YOU NEED:
4-6 Tbsp vegetable oil 2 lb boneless venison (or beef chuck roast) 1/4 cup flour salt and pepper 5 garlic cloves 2 Tbsp tomato paste 1 bottle of beer like Guinness 4 cups beef stock 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary 1 Tbsp juniper berries, optional 1 Tbsp black peppercorns 14 oz bag frozen pearl onions 1 lb carrots 1 turnip 8 ounces small new potatoes 14 oz frozen peas (optional) |
METHOD:
Take the pearled onions out of freezer and let thaw.
Cut meat into 1-inch cubes. Mix flour with salt and pepper in a small bowl. In a large Dutch oven or stew pot, heat 2 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Roll meat cubes in flour, then add enough meat to cover the bottom of the pot with one layer of meat. Cook, turning occasionally, until meat is brown on all sides. Remove browned meat, Add more oil, then cook the next batch. Repeat until all the meat is browned.
Remove beef from pot. Add a splash of beef stock to bottom of pan and scrape bottom to loosen any meat or flour. Mince garlic and add to pot along with tomato paste. Whisk until blended. Add the meat and the pearled onions, stir, then add the remaining beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Add the beer slowly, a little at a time, to avoid it foaming over. Add pepper corns, juniper berries (if using), and rosemary. Simmer on low heat with lid on, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Test meat after an hour to see how tender it is. If it is still hard and chewy, continue simmering until the meat is tender. If the onions are getting over cooked, you can take them out of the pot while the meat finishes cooking.
While the meat is simmering, wash and peel carrots and turnip, and cut into 1-inch rounds. Wash potatoes and cut in half. Set aside. When the meat is close to being done add carrots and potatoes to stew pot. Simmer on low until carrots and potatoes are done. Salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the pot from heat and add peas. Let sit until the peas are warm and the stew has cooled, about 10 minutes.
If the stew is not as thick as you would like, mix 2 Tbsp flour and 2 Tbsp soft butter into a smooth paste, remove ¼ cup broth from the stew and work into the paste, until smooth. Add more broth until the mixture can be poured into stew pot. Gently stir until the mixture has been fully blended into broth, then simmer on low until the flour thickens the stew.
Take the pearled onions out of freezer and let thaw.
Cut meat into 1-inch cubes. Mix flour with salt and pepper in a small bowl. In a large Dutch oven or stew pot, heat 2 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Roll meat cubes in flour, then add enough meat to cover the bottom of the pot with one layer of meat. Cook, turning occasionally, until meat is brown on all sides. Remove browned meat, Add more oil, then cook the next batch. Repeat until all the meat is browned.
Remove beef from pot. Add a splash of beef stock to bottom of pan and scrape bottom to loosen any meat or flour. Mince garlic and add to pot along with tomato paste. Whisk until blended. Add the meat and the pearled onions, stir, then add the remaining beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Add the beer slowly, a little at a time, to avoid it foaming over. Add pepper corns, juniper berries (if using), and rosemary. Simmer on low heat with lid on, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Test meat after an hour to see how tender it is. If it is still hard and chewy, continue simmering until the meat is tender. If the onions are getting over cooked, you can take them out of the pot while the meat finishes cooking.
While the meat is simmering, wash and peel carrots and turnip, and cut into 1-inch rounds. Wash potatoes and cut in half. Set aside. When the meat is close to being done add carrots and potatoes to stew pot. Simmer on low until carrots and potatoes are done. Salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the pot from heat and add peas. Let sit until the peas are warm and the stew has cooled, about 10 minutes.
If the stew is not as thick as you would like, mix 2 Tbsp flour and 2 Tbsp soft butter into a smooth paste, remove ¼ cup broth from the stew and work into the paste, until smooth. Add more broth until the mixture can be poured into stew pot. Gently stir until the mixture has been fully blended into broth, then simmer on low until the flour thickens the stew.