Pure Michigan Am I Right?

Well, it's a snowpocalypse outside.  Puuuuuure Michigan.  A snow storm in Michigan calls for beer and beef.  I've combined the two in an ale & beef stew.  YEEEEAAAAHHH!

Stuff:

2 pounds stew beef(or venison if you want to be a true Michigander)

1 large onion, chopped

Some root vegetables(I had some carrots, parsnips, and turnips), as much as you like...I like a lot

1 bottle of brown ale

3.5 cups beef stock

1/2 cup tomato paste

Some salt and pepper

Some Olive oil

1/2 cup flour*

Handful parsley, chopped

*skip this ingredient and substitute corn starch if you wish to make this gluten free(hi Katie & Ryan!)

Ok season the beef with salt and pepper

Toss the meat with the flour

(If making this GF don't use the corn starch yet)

Meanwhile, sauté the onions in a large, heavy bottomed pan(that has a lid) until soft

Move the onions to a bowl

Add a little more oil if needed, working in batches, brown the meat

I needed 3 batches, when each part is done, move to a bowl

Once all batches are browned there will be some brown bits on the bottom of the pan(heart eyes emoji here because that's all our flavor)

Take the delicious beer, open it, take a swig...

Cabin Fever, how fitting...

Anyway, pour the beer into the pan and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom(AKA deglaze)

Once you've scraped the bottom, add the tomato paste and whisk to combine

It will get very thick on account of the flour from the beef and the tomato paste

Add the beef and onions

Pour the beef stock and stir to combine

Add some salt and pepper and cover with the lid

WAIT WAIT WHAT ABOUT THE VEGETABLES, BANANN?!

Well hold your horses people!

After about and hour and a half on low heat. THEN add the vegetables so they don't completely disintegrate in the stew

Cook the stew another hour or so until the vegetables and meat are tender, at the time add in the chopped parsley

NOW, if you are making this GF, at this point take like 2 tablespoons of corn starch and 1/2 cup water and mix together in a bowl until there are no lumps, take this slurry and stir it into the stew and it will thicken within a few minutes. 

You're done!

Serve with some mashed potatoes, egg noodles, baked potatoes, whatever starchy accompaniment you like!

(I like mashed potatoes and peas, but to each their own)