CHUCK:

Slow-Cooker Beef and Guinness Stew (Chicago Tribune, 10/07/2008)

3 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed, cut into 1½-inch pieces

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 large (14 ounces) yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 can (14.9 ounces) Guinness Draught beer or 1¾ cups Guinness Extra Stout

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can (14½ ounces) beef broth

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 bay leaves

2 small sprigs fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried

1 pound small red boiling potatoes, halved

3 Carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks

½ small rutabaga, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 package (17 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package, optional

1. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the beef; toss to coat well with the flour. Reserve the remaining seasoned flour for later.

2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the beef in batches in a single, uncrowded layer. Cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a slow-cooker.
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Add the onion to the skillet; cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the Guinness and garlic; boil 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the mixture to the slow-cooker.

3. Add the broth, parsley, bay and thyme to the slow-cooker. Cover; cook on low until meat is almost tender, 2½-3 hours. Sprinkle in the reserved seasoned flour; stir. Add potatoes, carrots and rutabaga. Cover; cook on high until tender, about 1 hour. Taste pan juices; adjust seasonings.

4. If serving the stew with the pastry crust, heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pastry sheets into quarters. Place on 2 baking sheets; pierce several times with a fork. Bake until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Spoon a portion of the hot stew into individual dishes. Top with a pastry square.

Note: To cook stew in the oven, transfer the browned meat and onion mixture to a large Dutch oven. Proceed with the recipe as directed; cook, tightly covered, in a 325-degree oven until meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Add vegetables, cover the pot and return to the oven until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.