1 ½poundsBison Top Sirloin Steakcut into 1-inch cubes
24ouncesBoulder Beer Planet Porter2 bottles
32ouncesbeef stock4 cups
4carrotspeeled and sliced ½ inch thick
2cupscelerysliced ½ inch thick
6 - 8smallred potatoeswashed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2bay leaves
1TablespoonDijon mustard
Roux:
4Tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted
1Tablespooncornmeal
3Tablespoonflour
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until tender. About 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper and rosemary and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 30 seconds. Transfer these ingredients to a 6 - 7 quart soup pot or Dutch oven.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Reheat to medium high and brown meat well on all sides. Work in two batches so the meat isn't over crowded.
Remove meat from skillet and add to the soup pot along with the onions. Deglaze the skillet with ½ bottle (or can) of the Porter beer.
Pour the deglazed liquid from the skillet into the soup pot. Add the beef broth and the remaining beer. Bring to a low boil and let cook for two minutes. Cover the soup and let simmer on low for one hour.
Add carrots, celery, potatoes, Dijon mustard and bay leaf to the soup pot. Simmer on low, uncovered for one more hour.
Melt butter stove top and mix in cornmeal and flour to make a roux. Cook until roux is starting to turn golden. Add to stew and simmer for 30 more minutes.
Remove bay leaves and serve.
Notes
Tips For Success:
Don’t skip searing the stew meat. This is a crucial step in getting the most flavor out of this meal. Searing creates what is technically called Maillard reaction. Maillard reaction is the process where a crust is created. Simply stated, it’s responsible for the complex flavors and aroma that makes bread taste toasty, and a grilled or seared burger taste charred. It’s a technique that brings science to your cooking skills.
Purchase small Yukon Gold potatoes. Their skin is tender, so there's no need to peel the potatoes and with they're small size, they're easy to cube.
This recipe is a good chance to practice your knife skills. Cutting the bison meat in uniform pieces, and the vegetables in even chunks will insure even cooking.
Add a tablespoon of Tomato Paste when you add the vegetables. An MVP ingredient in the kitchen, it's concentrated almost meaty flavor adds another nuance of flavor to this Bison Stew.