Guinness Braised Beef

Now here’s something to stout (oops, shout) about - and just in time for St. Patty’s Day! This recipe harks from my James Beard-nominated column in Sauce magazine, from the article where I put two culinary giants - food scientist Harold McGee and doyenne of French cooking Madeleine Kamman - to a braising test. Madeleine came out on top with the results of her inverted foil lid-technique putting McGee’s ultra-low temperature braise to shame. Here, I’ve taken Madeleine’s lead, and I think you’ll be happy with the melt-in-the-mouth outcome - not to mention the richness of the Irish stout sauce.

Yield: About 12 (8-ounce) servings

Prep Talk: This dish can be made a few days ahead. Store tightly covered in the fridge; then re-heat on the stove top or in a 350ºF oven. Alternatively. freeze up to 1 month, thaw, and re-heat as just described.

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 6 onions (about 8 ounces each), peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• 1 1/4 pounds small crimini or button mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved
• 3 pounds beef round or chuck, trimmed of excess gristle and fat and cut into bite-size pieces (2 1/2 to 3 pounds trimmed)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock, warmed
• 2 tablespoons mild molasses
• 2 cups Guinness Stout or other dark beer, room temperature
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• 1 bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, 2 to 3 sprigs fresh parsley, and 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with twine)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh marjoram

Method:

1 | Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325ºF.

2 | Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a very large skillet. Add the onions and sauté until soft and caramelized. Stir regularly to prevent burning and be patient; this step may take 30 minutes or more due to the quantity of onions. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside.

3 | Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté about 10 minutes or until they have exuded much of their moisture. Combine with the onions.

4 | Add another 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and place over medium-high to high heat. When the oil sizzles at the drop of water, add the beef. Sear well on all sides, turning often to promote even browning. Transfer the beef to a separate bowl and set aside.