BEST DAMN BEEF STEW AND BEER RECIPE

MOUTHWATER EXPRESS--Each week, San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles magazine publishes

a free newsletter called the E-Club that offers tips from an interior design pro; a garden guru and a

top chef’s favorite recipe.  Like I said the E-mail newsletter is free and to subscribe click

www.sandiegohomegarden.net

This week all eyes jumped to the Carbonnade Recipe from Chef Chris Brill (pictured) over at Iowa

Meat Farms and Siesel’s Old Fashioned Meats. 

In celebration of our city's stature as a dignified beer mecca, chef Chris Brill doles out his best

techniques using San Diego’s favorite suds in everyday at-home cooking. He warns that cooking with

beer can be tricky. His recipe for Carbonnade uses the acidity of the mustard and vinegar and the

sweetness of the tomato paste to balance out the bitterness of the ale.

For this beef stew recipe, Chef Chris uses 12 ounces of Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale.

CARBONNADE (Ballast Point Beer and Beef Stew)

Serves 6-8

3 1/2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons butter

3 medium yellow onions sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups)

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups brown veal stock

12 ounces Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Brown sugar to taste

Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a heavy-

bottomed stew pot and brown the beef in batches over medium heat.

Remove the meat and add the onions to the pot and cook over medium-low heat until they are lightly

browned. Add the flour to the pan and stir to form a roux. Add the stock and beer to the pot and stir

well while bringing to a simmer. Scrape the bottom well to remove any browned bits.

Return the meat to the pan along with the remainder of the ingredients. Simmer partially covered over

low heat on the stove or place in a 300-degree F. oven. Either way, cook the stew gently for 2-3 hours

until the meat is tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve over potatoes, french-fries or buttered

noodles.

Source: Recipe originally appeared Wednesday, September 19, 2012 in San Diego Home/Garden

Lifestyles weekly free E-Club recipe offering.  To join the e-Club and get free design, garden and

cuisine tips from the pros click:

www.sandiegohomegarden.com and find the E-Club icon.

More Info:

Siesel’s Old Fashioned Meats and Iowa Meat Farms have offered quality meats, poultry, game and

accompanying ingredients, condiments and beverages for a combined 73 years. Natives of Sioux

City, Iowa, the Cohn family opened Iowa Meat Farms in 1982. Their objective was to offer San

Diego the same quality meats they had known in their heartland home.

Iowa Meat Farms, 6041 Mission Gorge Road, 619-281-5766; Siesel's Old-Fashioned Meats,

4131 Ashton St., 619-275-1234: www.bestmeatssandiego.com