It’s almost St. Paddy’s day and in honor of this great holiday, I want to share a recipe for one of my favorite Irish comfort foods, Guinness beef stew. What puts this one over the top though is Red Lobster’s mouthwatering Cheddar Bay Biscuits put over the top, making it into a pot pie!

 -Mel

Health tips: Cheat mealIngredients (6-8 servings)

• 2 lbs. chuck beef roast, cut into 1″ chunks
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 slices bacon
• 6 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 1 large or 2 smaller onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 cups Guinness Draught
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons reduced- sodium soy sauce
• 3 cups carrots, sliced
• 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cups Yukon gold potatoes (can keep skin on or not), chopped into 1/2-1″ chunks
• Sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary, tied in 2 bundles
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups frozen peas
• Optional: 1 tablespoon corn starch
• Flat-leaf parsley, chopped for garnish
• Box of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits (You’ll need cheddar cheese and butter)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Pat meat dry. Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, and cut into 1″ cubes. Season beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and some cayenne. Lightly toss in flour.
3. 
4. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crispy. Pour drippings in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot. Set bacon aside and crumble.
5. In the pot, heat oil on high and quickly brown the outside of meat, working in 2 batches, about 1-2 minutes each batch. Be careful not to overcrowd pan or they will not turn a deep brown. Set meat aside.
6. 
7. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the onions for a couple minutes, then add garlic. Cook until softened and golden, about 10 more minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for a minute.
8. Pour Guinness and broth and in the pot to deglaze, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil. (Slow Cooker: After this step, transfer to slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours and continue with steps 13 and 14. Bake biscuits separately in the oven if desired or serve over mashed potatoes.)
9. 
10. Turn down heat to low. Put meat back in the pot, along with soy sauce, pepper,  Worcestershire sauce,  carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, thyme and rosemary sprig bundles and bay leaves.
11. 
12. Cover the pot and put in the oven. Simmer and slow cook for about 2 1/2 hours, until meat is tender.
13. About 1/2 hour before completion time, take out the pot and remove bay leaves and herb springs. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
14. If broth needs thickening, dissolve cornstarch in 1 cup of the broth and pour back in. Add peas and bacon crumbles, taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Also, prepare the biscuit mix.
15. Divide up dough into 6-8 pieces and drop on top of the beef stew. Bake according to box instructions, about 14-16 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown and cooked through.
16. 
17. 
18. 
19. Make garlic butter mix from the box and brush on top biscuits. Garnish with parsley. Serve beef stew with a biscuit on top for each serving. Enjoy!