Nothing better that greets you with a hug at the door than the aroma of stew, slow–cooked, and the arms that say, “Welcome home!” Let it fill the house with the smell of the flavors that home is suppose to be, and is…
Bottom Round Stew ~
~ Skirt in the Kitchen ~
Begin with this– Season it all over a 4 to 6 lb. bottom round beef roast, all sides, and let it set for a long while, first in the refrigerator; then when you are close to wanting to cook the meat in stew,
set the meat out of the refrigerator to bring to room temperature.
Fry 3 slices of thick applewood smoked bacon. Take out of the grease to rest on a paper towel. Save the bacon bits for another use– or if you’d like, let them hang out in the stew.
Already have your vegetables and seasonings prepared as much as possible, the garlic minced– 3 cloves; and pearl onions dunked in boiling water, submerged for 2 minutes only, then taken out of the hot water for the peelings to be easily slipped right off… easily done after that point.
Sear on a high flame, the meat–
… not shifting the meat once placed in a heavy pot, just so you get a good sear uninterrupted,
browning all sides.
Have 1 red bell pepper,
chopped–
as well as mushrooms and carrots…
and mixed fingerling potatoes which yield a good taste of flavor, all of them left whole.
When the meat is through searing, take out of the pot and rest–
Pour in 1 cup of good beer, scraping up bits of meat and seasonings with a spatula while the beer is your aid in getting them off the bottom, as well as giving you the full depth of this meal’s taste that you are acquiring to have–
Then throw in pearl onions, whole, with chopped red bell pepper. You can also do this before the beer is added; depends on how much you need a release of the searing liquid that is practically at a burning stage– The beer is a life savour for the pot and the liquid from the seared meat, what is left in the pot. It chooses for you.
Stir well, then add all ingredients– meat over onions and chopped peppers, then remaining vegetable ingredients along with a good dose of salt & pepper and herbs of rosemary, thyme, basil and sage…
… and surprisingly– 1 cup sliced, peeled apple. This adds a slight sweetness, and disintegrates into the sauce. It’s only present for the added flavor, all of these ingredients culminating together, well.
Place in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes; turn down the oven to 225 after that, slow-cooking for 4 to 5 hours.
You will have very tender meat, falling apart, moist and good– soaked up in flavors, the vegetables of the meat sauce and added herbs and seasonings that are cooked in; so well-worth the wait of the day for this meal.
And the fingerling potatoes?– saturated with the juice but held together.
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