Licorice Root and Malt Beer Beef Stew

Beef or veal simmered gently with vegetables, prunes, malt beer, and licorice root until meltingly tender, then finished with a reduced, glossy sauce.

Servings servings

Author Mettch (Food52)

Ingredients

2 pounds beef or veal (cheeks, chuck, or foreshank); remove tendons and excess fat
2 yellow onions
2 stalks celery
1 garlic
2 carrots
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup cherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
7 ounces slightly macerated prunes
1 pinch red pepper flakes
4 leaves bay leaves
4 sprigs rosemary
4 inches licorice root
4 ½ cups beef stock or water
3 cups malt beer
sugar, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Remove tendons and fat from the meat. If pieces are very large, cut into smaller ones. Pat dry, then season generously with salt and pepper and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
Chop onions, celery, garlic, and carrots into smaller pieces.
Dredge the meat in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter in a large, deep pan. Brown the meat, then transfer to a plate.
Add the vegetables and red pepper flakes to the pan and sauté until they start to change color.
Add vinegar to the vegetables and cook until almost all of the vinegar has evaporated.
Return the meat to the pan along with the prunes, bay leaves, rosemary, and licorice root. Add the stock or water and the malt beer. Bring to a simmer and skim off any fat.
Cover and let simmer for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is tender and falling apart. Skim off fat if present.
Remove the meat from the pot and keep warm. Also remove the bay leaves, rosemary, and licorice root.
Pass the sauce through a sieve and reduce to the desired consistency. Season with sugar, salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste.
Optionally add back the original vegetables or fresh-cooked vegetables. Add the prunes and the meat and heat thoroughly. Serve.

Notes

Serves 6. Note: Macerated prunes can be made by soaking prunes in brandy for 1 hour prior to cooking. (Food52, 2010)