Beef stew with seasonal mushrooms and stout is a fantastic dish to enjoy during the autumn days. It is a traditional Irish recipe that, unlike other dishes of this type, has a more intense and sweet flavor due to the beer, although it is delicious. It is also very easy to cook.

Veal: A healthy option

Veal is lean red meat. It has hardly any fat and is very easy to digest. Its high protein content improves muscle performance, promotes tissue recovery, and provides all the amino acids our body cannot synthesize.

It is also rich in vitamins B6 and B12, whose primary functions are strengthening the immune system and accelerating metabolism. Therefore, they help to burn more fat, facilitating weight loss.

Among the minerals in veal, iron, zinc, and magnesium stand out. All of them are very useful in fighting anemia and promoting muscle growth.

So many benefits are increased by the properties provided by mushrooms. In addition to being low in calories, mushrooms are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The latter promotes intestinal transit, improves the microbiota, and produces a feeling of satiety. Due to their antioxidants, mushrooms are also heart-healthy and have anti-inflammatory effects.

How to prepare veal with mushrooms and dark beer

Ingredients:

• 700 grams of veal to stew
• Assorted mushrooms (mushrooms, chanterelles, or any other you like)
• 1/2 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 potato
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil
• Parsley
• 330 ml of dark beer
• A little water or chicken broth

Elaboration of the recipe:

• Peel all the vegetables. Then, cut the carrot into small cubes, the onion, and 2 cloves of garlic into slices, and mash the potato into medium pieces to release the starch and thicken the stew.
• Season the chopped meat with salt and pepper and sear it in a casserole dish with a drizzle of oil for a few minutes. Then, put it on a plate and set it aside.
• In the same pan, sauté the vegetables for a couple of minutes and add the meat again, as well as the bay leaf and the black beer.
• Cover the meat and vegetables with water or broth, turn up the heat, and let the stew come to a boil. This will allow the alcohol in the beer to evaporate.
• Cover the casserole and cook the stew for 40 minutes over medium heat.
• After this time, check that the meat is tender. If it is not, leave it for another 10 to 15 minutes.
• Now it is time to prepare the mushrooms: in a frying pan, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the remaining chopped garlic clove. When lightly browned, add the chopped mushrooms. Sauté for a few minutes and sprinkle a little chopped fresh parsley, salt, and pepper.
• Add the sautéed mushrooms to the stew pot and cook everything together for 5-10 minutes.
• After that time, turn off the heat and let the stew rest overnight. You can taste it the same day of the preparation, but with the rest, the flavor intensifies.

Tips for cooking veal with mushrooms and dark beer

Although beer helps tenderize the meat, choosing the right piece for the stew is the first step to obtaining a tender and exquisite bite. It should be the type that can withstand prolonged cooking (between one and a half and two hours). The parts known as shank or knuckle are usually excellent in stews. The needle part also, and as it is more tender, it will need less cooking time.

Another thing to keep in mind is to stir the stew carefully. This way, the potatoes will not fall apart, and the dish's presentation will be more attractive.

Throughout the process, you will have to check that there is no lack of water, and if it is the case, you can always add a little. But if at the end the broth of the stew is too liquid for your taste, thicken it by mashing some potato.

On the other hand, if you don't have much time, you can always cook this recipe in a fast cooker but don't overlook the different cooking points of each ingredient, such as the potatoes. Prepare the stew for 40 minutes in the crock pot and then finish cooking on low heat in a standard casserole. That will be the time to add the potatoes.

Finally, the total cooking times are approximate, as they will depend on the type of meat you use and its size.