Beef Stew with Beer and Apricots

Ingredients  

Beef Stew with Beer and Apricots

2-3 kg stewing beef  cut into large cubes (I use neck/tzavar – see diagram for a guide to beef cuts in Hebrew)

About ½ cup of flour seasoned with salt, pepper and a bit of powdered garlic and sweet paprika

3-4 tablespoons oil

1 large onion peeled and sliced

4 carrots peeled and cut into 2-3 c, (1 inch) slices

330 ml (11 fl oz) beer (the darker the better)

500 ml (1 pint) beef or chicken stock (or enough to make sure the meat is covered)

100 g (3 oz) tomato paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard

300g fresh or dried apricots (I always use dried because fresh apricots are seasonal in summer, when I don’t make this stew!)

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

How to do it

1. In a large skillet or pan, add the oil and heat up. Roll the pieces of beef in the seasoned flour and seal the meat in the hot oil, making sure all sides are sealed and lightly browned. Put sealed pieces into a large pot or the slow cooker. Add more oil to the pan if required to seal all the pieces. When you are finished sealing the meat, do not discard the oil.

2. Fry the onion and carrot in the oil from the meat until the onion begins to soften (about 4 minutes) and add to the meat.

3a. If you are cooking the stew in a pot, add the beer, stock and tomato paste to the meat, bring to the boil, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for about 1½ hours until the meat is tender, stirring every now and again.  Then add the sugar, mustard, seasoning and apricots and simmer for another 30 minutes until the meat is very tender. Stir in the parsley, add more seasoning if required and serve.

3b. If you are cooking the stew in a slow cooker, add all the remaining ingredients, cook for 8 hours on low or for 4 hours on high.

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Serves about 8.