Beer Braised Irish Beef Stew with Colcannon

Oooh yes... Looks rich, huh? It is. This dish was amazing! It completely surpassed my expectations, considering the short list of ingredients for a stew. I made this meal since St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, and my family has never actually celebrated it! We aren't Irish... But we can still honor St. Patrick :) I also wanted to make Irish food since I never have before, and my mate's grandparents are really big on the holiday and Ireland, so I thought I should try to incorporate it into my life somehow as well. Honestly, this is the best beef stew I have ever had. And I've had many. The colcannon is basically mashed potatoes with tender sliced cabbage and salty bacon bits mixed in. It is perfect with the stew! 

This dish doesn't take very long to make. The most time-consuming part is when it's in the oven. I took quite some time trimming and cutting the meat, as there was a good amount of fat. I love how it goes in the oven twice, 45 minutes at a time, since it gave me time to clean the dishes and do other necessary things, lol. This dish is very filling so while you may want to load it up on your plate, I'd suggest to wait and get seconds if you're still hungry. I made Irish soda bread to eat with this dish and it was so good! I'll share that recipe as well. Enjoy! :)

Beer Braised Irish Beef Stew with Colcannon 

Makes 8 servings

Irish Stew:

 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

 1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 1 cup coarsely chopped onion

 1 cup coarsely chopped carrot

 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle dark beer

 2 bay leaves

 1 teaspoon dried thyme

 1 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 2 cloves garlic, minced

 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Calcannon:

 3 slices bacon

 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage

 1/4 cup milk, warmed

 2 tablespoons butter

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

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, dark beer, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cover.

Place the Dutch oven into the preheated oven, and cook for 45 minutes; uncover, stir the stew, and cook until the beef is very tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 more minutes.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

About 30 minutes before the stew is ready, make the colcannon: Place 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 minute or two.

Place the cabbage into a microwave-safe bowl, and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on High for about 2 1/2 minutes; uncover (watch out for steam) and stir the cabbage. Cover and microwave for about 2 1/2 more minutes, until the cabbage is slightly tender but not mushy. Drain excess liquid, and set the cabbage aside, covered.

Place the potatoes into a large bowl, and add milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Beat the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cabbage, crumbled bacon, and parsley until well combined.

To serve, place a scoop of colcannon onto a plate, make a hollow, and fill with braised beef stew.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beer-Braised-Irish-Stew-and-Colcannon/Detail.aspx