Award Winning Beef Stew

Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 10 slices thick bacon, diced
• 2 cups beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 lbs lamb stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 lbs lamb stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 4 sweet red onions, chopped
• 2 heads garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 6 tablespoons sweet hungarian paprika
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups red wine vinegar
• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
• 10 cups beef stock
• 2 (12 fluid ounce) cans beer
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 6 cups water
• 4 red bell peppers, chopped
• 6 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 parsnips, chopped
• 6 stalks celery, chopped
• 8 carrots, chopped
• 2 cups dry breadcrumbs
• 1 medium cabbage, chopped
• 2 cups green peas

Recipe

• 1 in a large skillet over medium high heat, fry the bacon for 5 to 10 minutes, or until well browned.
• 2 using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the skillet and set aside.
• 3 in small batches, saute the meat in the bacon fat until browned.
• 4 use a slotted spoon and set the stew meats aside as well.
• 5 melt the butter in the bacon fat in the same skillet over medium heat.
• 6 add the onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.
• 7 stir in the flour, caraway seeds, paprika and crushed red pepper flakes.
• 8 stir for two minutes until all the flour is dissolved.
• 9 whisk in the vinegar and tomato.
• 10 the mixture should be very thick.
• 11 next, pour in the beef stock, beer, salt, water, red bell peppers, reserved bacon and reserved meat.
• 12 bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
• 13 stir in the potatoes, parsnip, celery and carrots and continue to simmer, covered, for 30 more minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
• 14 stir in the breadcrumbs until stew has thickened.
• 15 add the cabbage and peas and simmer for 5 more minutes.
• 16 (note: for best results, allow soup to cool slightly, then refrigerate overnight and reheat before serving.).