Traveler’s Stew

Here we are a little over a week post Thanksgiving cooking marathon, and we can’t live on the leftovers anymore. Some of you may find this disappointing. Or, if you’re more like me, you are super over turkey… at least til next year.

So, the question looms, what are you going to make this weekend? I tried out this delicious stew recipe that can be found in the “Heroes’ Feast” official Dungeons and Dragons cookbook. Its currently on sale on Amazon, so its the perfect time to click the link below and pick it up!

You can find my full review of this cookbook here: https://dicemom.com/2020/11/06/heroes-feast/

Super simple directions, quick to throw together, and easy to find ingredients make this recipe the perfect dish for a lazy weekend. Just put it in the pot, let it simmer, and make your house smell AMAZING.

And this recipe has a fun twist-BEER!!

Here is what you are going to need:

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil because, as an Italian American, this is what I use in almost everything)
• 1 cup dark beer (I used Guinness Draught Stout)
• 4 cups low sodium beef broth (I used regular beef broth because I already had some in my pantry. I just made sure to use less Kosher salt)
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt (I used garlic salt because I love garlic), and several grinds of pepper. Add the beef and toss to coat well.

• Warm the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for about 5 minutes, turning to brown all sides evenly. The recipe says to do a little of the meat at a time in batches, to be sure not to overcrowd the pot, but I was impatient and just did it all at once. I kept a close eye on it and it turned out fine. Just had to stir more often.
• Take all the meat out of the pot. It was at this point that I put a little meat to the side for my super picky eater so that she could have “plain” meat to eat if she didn’t like the stew.

• Pour the beer into the empty pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Most stew recipes use wine, but the beer in this recipe gives it a nice earthy, malty flavor.
• Return the browned beef to the pot and add the broth and paprika.
• Adjust the heat to low, cover, and cook at a simmer until the meat is very tender. 1.5-2 hours.

• Add the onions, carrots, and potatoes to the pot, and continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

• Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve hot!

Traveler’s Stew was a huge hit at our house. Hearty, warm, and thick, it was the best way to warm our souls on a chilly winter’s day. The leftovers were just as delicious! We had enough to make 2 or 3 meals out of it, so that was a really nice treat later in the week.

We served our stew with buttered bread, or you could make warm rolls to sop up the dark beer-infused broth.

For the DnD nerds among us, the “Heroes’ Feast” book has a wonderful little description of the inspiration for the dish:

“Nothing is more welcoming to the battered, trail weary adventurer than the unmistakable scent of beef and ale wafting from a bubbling, flame-licked cauldron. Find a seat near the inn’s blackened hearth and take a load off-warmth and safety are finally at hand.”

If you are on the hunt for more great dinner recipes, check out my take on Sembian Honey Glazed Rothe Ribs also brought to you by Heroes’ Feast!

Enjoy your time bundled up with the ones you love, and stay safe my friends.