Black and Tan Stew

Don here. Made an awesome stew for St. Patty's day that I highly recommend. Totally off the cuff, but turned out well and you could definitely sub whatever you want in it.

Drum roll please! The ingredients are/were:

2lbs lamb shoulder, cubed

2lbs beef shoulder, cubed

7-8 assorted potatoes, skin on, cubed

1 large parsnip, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 rutabagas, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 turnips, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large onion - yellow or sweet, or white, whatever, chopped

1 leek, diced

6 whole peeled cloves of garlic

14oz can of whole stewed tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

lots of salt and coarse ground pepper to taste

2 cups Jameson Irish Whisky

3 bottles Harps, Smithwicks, or other lighter beer

3 bottles Guinness

2 whole sprigs of rosemary

In a large stew pot, heat the oil and add the onions. Stir constantly until their softened. Salt and pepper the meat cubes and add to the pot in batches, stirring constantly so as to brown on all sides. Once the meat is going, gradually add the potatoes, parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, leeks, and garlic, and cook about 3-5 minutes. The water from the meat and the veggies will start to soften everything up nicely. Add liberal amounts of pepper and salt to your liking.

Now add the Jameson and cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the beer. ALL AT ONCE! Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then turn down the heat and simmer for 2-3 hours. About a half hour before you are ready to serve, add the stewed tomatoes squeezing and mushing them with your hands before dropping them in, juice and all. Add the rosemary springs (I didn't actually add the rosemary to my batch, but I know it would have been awesome).

When you're ready to serve, remove the rosemary and discard.

Oh yeah, and this recipe makes a lot. So have a bunch of people over, and make some soda bread to go with it. And then don't plan on doing anything for several hours, because you'll be in a food coma. But it will be glorious. Let me know if you try this, and what else you did with it. I love me my stews. The tomatoes, by the way, are something I always add to a red meat stew, and I've NEVER been let down yet.