The Drunken Gourmet is back in town.

It's not that I was out of town or anywhere in particular.  Not even taking a break from cooking all together, but just incommunicado for awhile.  I still cook almost daily, a guy has to eat. I just lack the ambition to write about it.  My summer was full of grilling, frying and food creations of all kinds.  I even got some photos of some dishes.  The process of getting them to this blog and getting it down on paper, is a whole other deal.

Here are the highlights of the past several months in a few words...  Camp cookery in the Chequamegon National Forest, 16 oz. pork chops back in May.  Wing Night here at home every other Thursday.  Homemade Salsa and my own concoction of wing sauce.  I brined and grilled seven 10  pound boneless pork loins for my friend's wedding. Another camp cookery episode in a different part of the Chequamegon Forest which included brined and grilled grouse and woodcock breasts.  All of these would have been excellent blog choices.  However, here it sat idle.  I digress.

So here I am in the middle of November, no Packers game today.  Cold, rainy,  a great day for a beef stew.  My way, Drunken of coarse.  I'm not drunk, well not today, but the stew is. 

Drunken Beef Stew

·                    1-½ pounds Boneless Beef Short Rib meat or Stew Meat, cubed in ¾” pieces

·                    ½ cup Flour

·                    1 Tbs Salt

·                    1 Tbs Fresh Ground Pepper

·                    1 Tbs Paprika

·                    2-4 Tbs Canola Oil for frying

·                    6 Cloves Garlic, Whole

·                    1 Medium Onion, roughly chopped

·                    1 Bottle of Point Amber Beer

·                    3 Whole Bay Leaves

·                    Few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce

·                    5 Medium Potatoes, peeled and chopped

·                    5 Carrots, chopped

·                    1 Medium Onion, Chopped

·                    Handful Celery Leaves, chopped

·                    1 14 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, with liquid

·                    ½ cup Green Peas, frozen

Preheat oven to 325° F.  In a large cast iron Dutch oven, heat 2-tablespoons oil over high heat.  In a large bowl mix flour, salt and pepper, and paprika together.  Dust beef in flour removing any excess.  Fry the beef on all sides careful not to overcrowd the pan or the meat will not brown properly.  Remove well-browned pieces to a plate and continue with the remaining beef pieces.  Add more oil if necessary.  When all the meat is browned, reduce heat to low and add the garlic and one of the onions.  Sauté for 2- 3 minutes and then add the Point Beer.  Use a wooden spatula to break up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Bring this mixture to a boil; add bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, cover and place in oven for 1-½ hours.  Check the pan after one hour and add more beer or water if needed.  The meat should be very tender at this point.  Then add potatoes, carrots, the other onion, and the tomatoes to the Dutch.  Mix thoroughly, and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and place back in oven and continue to cook another 1-½ hours or until the carrots are tender.  Then add the peas and heat through.  Serve with fresh bread and a cold Point Amber.

Cubed Beef

Fresh Veggies

Beef Braising Away in the Beer

Stew Served on top Fresh Bread, yummm!