If you know the proper technique, you can cook anything like a pro. Case in point this beef short rib stew with Guinness. After watching how several well-known cooks prepare beef stew, I used the ingredients in a recipe I found online, but ignored the instructions, applying what I’d learned from watching those clips. It was the best stew I ever made.

Contrary to what you might have always done, you don’t need to begin with chunks or meat and brown on all sides. It’s easier, and just as effective, to brown a large piece of meat on both sides and then cut into chunks for stew. Works just as well. It’s not about searing the meat to keep in the juices, but adding those lovely umami flavors that develop when you brown the meat.

Bring to a simmer, then place in the oven with the lid slightly ajar. That’s the best way to keep the heat even. Covering the pot all the way will cause the liquid to boil, yield tough meat in your stew.

Next tip: don’t cook and cook and cook waiting for the meat to get tender. There’s a point of no-return where the meat becomes stringy and dry, in spite of being immersed in liquid. Two hours is usually sufficient. If you’re not sure it’s done, give it another 15-30 minutes more.

Finally, stew is best cooked at least a day before you intend to eat it, in order for the flavors to develop. If you’re planning to eat this on Shabbos, make it on Thursday. And serve it with mugs of Guinness on the side!

Beef Short Rib Stew with Guinness

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 T. olive oil
• 4 pounds boneless beef short ribs (uncut)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, cut in ½-inch pieces
• 3 T. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef or chicken stock (can use bouillon cubes or soup mix and water in place of stock)
• 1 pint Guinness or other stout

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in wide skillet on medium high heat. Season short ribs with salt and pepper and brown on both sides, around 5 minutes per side. Set meat aside on a platter.
2. Add onion and garlic to skillet and sauté, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Add carrots and celery, and sauté for 5 more minutes.
3. Add 1 cup stock to vegetables, and scrape up any brown bits from pan. Set aside.
4. Cut beef into 1 ½-inch chunks. Sprinkle beef chunks with the flour and toss to mix with your hands or two large serving spoons.
5. Place beef chunks in large Dutch oven, scraping any accumulated juices from the platter into the pot. Add the vegetables and juices from the skillet to the pot, along with remaining stock and Guinness. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Preheat oven to 325° Bring the stew to a simmer on the stovetop, then place in the oven with the lid slightly ajar. Cook stew for 2 hours. Test for doneness, and if necessary, cook for ½ hour more.