SPICY BEEF STEW RECIPE PIONEER WOMAN RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Put a large, heavy-bottomed, ovenproof pot over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pot and reserve for serving.
• Pat the beef dry and season it with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat under the pot to medium high and brown the beef on all sides in batches, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. If there is a lot of oil left, pour off all but 2 tablespoons.
• Add the onion, celery and finely chopped carrot to the pot and cook until the vegetables begin to wilt, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, flour and garlic and cook for another minute or 2. Pour in the wine, whisking to combine, and bring to a boil. Add the mushrooms, pearl onions and 1-inch carrot pieces. Return the beef to the pot. Pour in enough broth to just cover the meat and bring to a simmer. Cover and put into the oven. Cook until the beef is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Skim off any excess fat from the top of the stew and serve garnished with parsley and the reserved bacon.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and dried herbs. Set aside.
• Season the short ribs with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt. Place a large griddle over medium-high heat and once a drop of water bounces off, sear the meat until browned on all sides. Once browned, remove the meat to the bowl with the paste and toss to coat. Transfer to a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and seal tightly. Place the package into a metal pan and put into a cold oven on the middle rack. Set the oven to 250 degrees F and cook for 4 hours.
• Remove the meat from the oven and carefully poke a hole in the pack while holding it over a heatproof container. Drain the liquid into the container and place it into the refrigerator to cool enough so that the fat separates from the rest of the liquid, approximately 1 hour. After 1 hour, transfer the liquid to the freezer and keep there until the fat cap has solidified, approximately 1 hour. Allow the ribs to sit at room temperature while the liquid is cooling or if serving the next day, place in the refrigerator until ready to finish.
• Retrieve the liquid from the refrigerator and remove the fat cap that has formed on top. Measure out 1 tablespoon of the fat and reserve the rest for another time. Place the fat into a large saucier and place over medium heat. Once the fat has melted add the onion along with the remaining teaspoon of salt and stir to separate the onions into rings. Allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes along with a pinch of black pepper and stir to combine. Next, add the liquid reserved from the meat and stir. Cover tightly and decrease the heat to low so that no heat is escaping the lid. Cook for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
• Meanwhile, cut the meat away from the bone, removing the connective tissue and discarding. Once the potatoes are tender, uncover and set the meat atop the vegetables. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with the parsley.