Totally Lazy Beef Stew

This is just such a good thing to let simmer for hours on a cold, gray day. The smell is just amazing, and I’m not the biggest stew fan. Well, maybe I am now. 

Ingredients:

1 (1.5 lb) chuck roast*

3 Tablespoons bacon fat, divided

3 Tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 cup flour

1 Tablespoon your favorite beef roast or steak seasoning

1 cup dry red wine (use what you have—chianti, burgundy, whatever)

1 package frozen pearl onions, about 10 ounces

3 cups beef stock

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 package (16 oz) frozen vegetables for stew, still frozen

2 teaspoons herb de provence

2 teaspoons steak sauce, such as A-1

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes and kept handy in ice water with a little lemon juice

½ cup frozen peas

*Either trim the chuck roast of excess fat and cut into 1 inch cubes yourself, or ask your butcher to do it.

Directions: Put flour and beef roast seasoning into a lunch size paper bag and shake to combine. Heat 1 TB bacon fat and 1 TB canola oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Put 1/3 of the beef cubes into the paper bag, shake, then remove, shaking off excess flour. Place in the hot fat and sear on all sides. Remove to a place with a slotted spoon. Repeat two more times, using up the fat, oil, seasoned flour and beef cubes. Deglaze pan with red wine then add pearl onions to the pan. Add the beef cubes back in, along with the remaining ingredients, except the potato and peas. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Place cover on the pot and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting for seasoning as you go. After 2 hours, add the potato and simmer for one more hour. Stir in the peas and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes and spoon into bowls. Serve with French bread for dipping.