Irish Pub Stew

4 to 6 hours in the crockpot 

Serves 4 

1 to 1 1/2 lb beef, cut into chunks (stewing beef) 

2 Tbsp butter or hard margarine 

1 Tbsp cooking oil (Olive oil, canola oil, whatever your preference) 

1/4 cup sherry 

1 can tomato soup 

1 1/4 cup water or beef broth 

3 medium carrots, cut into chunks 

2 small onions, chopped 

3 medium potatoes, cut into chunks 

1 tsp. salt 

2 Bay leaves 

1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled 

few cracks of pepper 

Heat a saute pan (frying pan to the rest of us) over medium high heat until hot. Add the oil and margarine/butter into the pan, and once melted add half the beef chunks. Brown the beef in two batches, which gets the beef well browned without it turning grey and losing it's juices. Once the beef is browned, transfer to a crockpot and turn the crockpot to low or high (whichever temperature you plan to use). 

Put the saute pan back on medium heat and deglaze the pan with the sherry. What does deglaze mean? It means pour the sherry into the warm pan, stir it until it starts to bubble, and then pour this pan glaze over your dish. Which is what you want to do. So, deglaze with the sherry, and pour the mixture over the beef in the crockpot. (Now you can put the pan aside.)

To the beef mixture in the crockpot, add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well. My advice is don't taste the sauce at this point – it really needs some time for the flavours to blend. Cook for 4 hours on high, and 6 to 8 hours on high. Serve with crusty bread and a nice tossed salad, and you have a fantastic, easy meal.