Beef, beer & lentil stew

We are busily remodeling Matt's office over the long weekend. With all the time spent prepping & painting all we want for dinner is something hearty & satisfying that didn't take much work. This stew fit the bill, brown some meat, chop up a few vegetables & let the whole thing simmer for an hour. The beer & fire roasted tomatoes gave the broth a wonderful slightly sweet flavor.


1 T olive oil
3/4 - 1 lb stew beef, cut into bite size pieces
salt & pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 carrot, peeled & sliced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 T fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
3/4 c dried lentils
12 oz beer (we used a Summit Winter Ale, something darker than a lager is best)
1 14.5 can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (such as Muir Glen)
1+ c chicken broth

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot over med-high heat. Add beef , season with salt & pepper & cook until browned. Add vegetables & cook for about 5 minutes. Add rosemary, bay leaf, lentils, beer, tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer covered for 1 hour or until lentils & vegetables are tender. Add more chicken broth while simmering if the stew gets too dry or you like a little more broth. Remove bay leaf. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Serve with a good crusty bread for dipping.

Serves 4