The perfect big cup for winter stew by Andrea Brown of Fire Garden Pottery in Boston, MA.

Beef and Oyster Stew

Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 lbs grass-fed stew beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
  • 4 carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 2 large potatoes, cut into cubes
  • 1 12-ounce bottle Guinness Extra Stout
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 12 fresh shucked oyster, juices reserved

Instructions
 

  • Put flour in a large bowl and stir in salt and pepper. Toss the beef in the mixture to coat. In a large stewpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sear the beef until browned on all sides. Remove the beef from pot and set aside.
  • Add the onion, mushroom, and carrots to the stewpot and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, around 7 minutes (adding additional oil to the pan if necessary). Return the beef to the pan and add the potatoes, Guinness, beef stock, and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Cover the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until beef is tender and gravy has thickened. If you prefer a thinner stew, add additional broth or water periodically. At the end of cooking, add the oysters and their juices and simmer briefly until oysters are just heated through.
  • Serve with a warm, crusty loaf of bread and a pint of Guinness. (Or keep it local with a nice oatmeal stout from Mayflower Brewing!)