The Irish are known for their surf & turf in pastry with the likes of their beloved Steak and Oyster pie. But you'll also find fish and meat combinations in a stew, too.

The robust flavours of the beef and stout in this dish are perfectly delicious in their own right. So if you're not an oyster fan, leave them out. But if your palate is looking for an adventure, throw a few into the mix and see how their distinctive flavour harmonizes with the beef and stout in a most pleasing way.

After all, everything good in Ireland comes in threes.

Beef & Oyster Stout Stew

Yield: 6

Ingredients:
2 lbs stewing beef (fat trimmed)
6 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped - medium dice
1 carrot, peeled, split lengthwise and chopped into brunoise (very small dice)
1 celery stalk, split lengthwise and chopped into brunoise (very small dice)
1 1/2 440 mL cans of dark stout
4 cups of beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems
3 potatoes, cut into ½" wedges
3 large carrots, cut into ½" slices
10-15 freshly shucked oysters (with some of their liquor reserved)

Directions:

Cut the beef into medium chunks and pat dry so it will brown well (you can coat them with flour - this will help to thicken your stew later). Pour oil into hot, heavy-bottomed pot, one tablespoon at a time, making sure there's enough to coat the bottom while browning. Brown the beef thoroughly on medium heat, making sure that it browns on all sides - work in batches and reserve meat in large bowl as it is finished cooking. Add the onions, carrots and celery and stir, browning them with the left over fat and meat bits. Reserve these veggies with the meat. Pour a small amount of the stout into the pot (just enough to cover the bottom). This will help to loosen the leftover browned bits. Use a wooden spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Pour in the rest of the can of stout, the beef broth, and the Worcestershire sauce. Add the meat and the vegetables back into the pot and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. At this point you could either continue cooking on the stove top with the lid on or transfer the covered pot to a 325º F degree oven and continue to cook for another 1 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender and the sauce has thickened and deepened in flavour. After cooking for 1 1/2 hours, give it a taste and add more seasonings, if necessary. Add another ½ cup of stout for a stronger stout flavouring. Then add the potatoes and carrots. Cook them until tender for at least another 35-40 minutes. Ten minutes before serving, add the freshly shucked oysters to the stew and cook them until just tender but not rubbery (approximately 5-10 minutes depending on their size).