Classic Beef Stew (Pressure cooker edition)

Who doesn’t love beef stew? Who doesn’t love the whole afternoon it takes to make beef stew for dinner when there’s a right proper Nor’Easter afoul? Assuming you still have power, this is a great pressure cooker adaptation of a traditional beef stew .

Beef Stew (Pressure Cooker)

Servings 4
Total Time 35mins
Prep 15 mins
Cook 20 mins

To make an easy Beef soup, omit the potatoes, add more water and a few boullions and serve with egg noodles or rice.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1⁄2 lbs rump roast
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large onion, cut up
4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4 celery ribs, peeled and cut into chunks
4 potatoes, cut into chunks
salt & pepper (to taste)
1 -2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 1⁄2-2 cups water
1 -2 beef bouillon cube (optional)

Directions

Cut the roast into chunks, about 1 inch (or larger if that is your preference). Heat oil in bottom of pressure cooker until hot and add the meat all at once (do not turn for at least 1 minute – you really want to let the meat sear – this gives the stew such yummy flavor.

Stir the meat, letting it brown on all sides. Add the chopped garlic, stir for 1 minute, then add the onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, salt, pepper, parsley, water and optional beef bouillon(the bouillon gives a stronger flavor – you can also wait to see how it comes out, and if you feel that it’s not flavorful enough, you can add the beef bouillon and boil the stew for a minute or so).

Lock the pressure cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over high heat.

Cook 15 minutes.

Cool pot immediately and serve. ENJOY!

Optional ingredients – you can add some chopped tomatoes if you’d like before cooking, or after bringing it to pressure, you can throw in some canned mushrooms or frozen peas and heat thoroughly.

 

Greystoke Double IPA

7 lb 2 row
7 lb Maris Otter
2 lb Vienna
1 lb rye
1 lb crystal 60

Mash 152. Mash out/fly sparge

6 oz Citra (bittering) 1 oz
   @FWH/75/60/45/30/15
Boil 90 minutes

3 oz Simcoe (aroma) 2NDRY
12oz Earl grey leaf 2NDRY

In the end, this turns out as a solid IPA that doesn’t need the Earl Grey. In fact, in testing the tea added in all the tannins and astringency I was trying to avoid by not mashing too warm. An addition of bergamot might be interesting later, but for now I’m happy with it. It presents as a nice, hazy golden straw color with a fluffy white head. It smells strongly of grapefruit and melon, thanks to the Citra hops. It has a full, smooth body with spicy, resinous, earthy notes, lightened again with the Citra. Finish is juicy and round, but not sweet.

If I make this one again, I’ll play a bit with the grain crush or the mash temps to see of I can get more sugars out. It’s woefully under gravity for the grain bill, so I’ll have to review my sparge process. Again.

Sweet like cherry cola

Oh, hey!  Kirkland Signature dried cherries.  Sounds like an ingredient for an infusion.

Experiment #1: Vodka with dried cherries

  • 4 oz dried cherries
  • 6 oz Stolichnaya vodka

Combine in 8 oz Ball jar, allow to steep 6 weeks.  Shake occasionally.

Experiment #2: Maker’s Mark with dried cherries

  • 4 oz dried cherries
  • 6 oz Maker’s Mark

Combine in 8 oz Ball jar, allow to steep 6 weeks.  Shake occasionally.

 

Margarita Grilled Chicken

I whacked together this recipe as a marinade/glaze for grilled chicken. I was looking for something that would caramelize well over high heat, with a savory tang and residual sweetness. This particular recipe wants for cilantro, but I was fresh out that day.

  • 2 tbsp. mesquite honey
  • 1 tbsp gold tequilla
  • 1 tbsp triple sec
  • 1 tbsp sweetened lime juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Cilantro (subst. oregano)
  • 1 tbsp parsely
  • 1 tsp sage
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • dash salt
  • dash black pepper
  • dash jalapeño hot sauc

Yields about 3/4 cup marinade, enough to coat 2 boneless chicken breasts.  reserve portion of marinade for glaze, enough to brush on chicken.  Marinate 1-2 hours, grill 5 minutes per side over medium heat. Finish, brushing on glaze, and grill over direct heat 2 minutes per side until caramelized.  Serve over yellow rice with capers and red pepper.

 

Red curry veggie dip

This is a fairly peppy, creamy vegetable dip.  It was too hot for my palate, so I cut it in half with 6 oz of reduced fat sour cream.  I would probably halve the pepper measures on future batches.

  • 3/4 c yogurt, plain, drained
  • 2 tsp curry powder (red? green?)
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp oil
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp hot sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Allow to stand 30 minutes before serving.

Hitchhiker ESB

Today was chilly and rainy.  Such perfectly British weather to make an Extra Special Bitter.  I tend to brew outside, so I experienced the perfectly snotty weather under a canopy.  I should rather say “attempt to brew,” because I tried my hardest to fail at making this batch work.  Named in honor of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, the process of “getting there” took a more twists and turns through unexpected places than I felt was strictl necessary.   Dear old DA would have approved,.

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