• Cooking Time: 2-3 hours simmer time
• Servings: 4-6
• Preparation Time: 20-30 minutes
• For the Stew:
• 2 lbs. stew meat, either beef of lamb
• 3 T. oil
• 2 T. white rice flour
• salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 4 T. water
• 1 1/4 c. Irish Ale (GF)
• 2 c. sliced carrots
• 2 large onions, quartered
• 1-2 sprigs of thyme
• For the mashed potatoes:
• 4 large russet potatoes
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 t. sea salt
• 1/2 - 1 c. milk or half and half, heated in microwave

1. Toss meat with 1 T. oil and dredge with flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Heat 2 t. oil in dutch oven and brown meat slowly over medium heat. Browning the meat well is the secret to good stew. Add garlic and tomato, cook for 5 minutes. Add onion, carrots, water, ale, and thyme. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 2-3 hours or until meat is tender. Meanwhile make mashed potatoes by cooking peeled and quartered potatoes in boiling salted water to cover for 25 minutes or so until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes, and return pan to low heat. Add butter, using a potato masher, mash potatoes, adding heated milk until mashed and smooth. Taste to adjust salt. Serve stew with a large spoon of mashed potatoes on top.

During a visit to Guiness Storehouse's Gravity bar in Dublin, I decided I don't like the taste of ale to drink, so I decided to have lunch in their restaurant where I chose Irish Stew for lunch. It was delicious and I decided I do like the taste of ale in my stew. Guiness Storehouse graciously gave me the recipe.