Stout & Barley Beef Stew

Winter is the time of year for hearty stews, dishes you make and let simmer for hours with enough for leftovers. This is just that type of recipe.  Barley brings me back to my childhood when my mother would use it in soups and stews - she did not always use it, so it felt special when she did.  I use Guinness Extra Stout in this recipe due to it's depth of flavor and caramel noted.  This stew is like making beef burgundy, there is a little bit of fuss in the beginning with browning all the meat but it is worth it.

3-4 lbs. chuck roast, cut into 1" pieces
1/4 c. flour (season with salt and pepper for dredging)
Olive oil
1 - 10 oz. bag pearl onions, thawed
4 bottles Guinness Extra Stout
1 - 32 oz. container of beef stock
1 c. brown sugar
2 - 6 oz. cans tomato paste
2 lbs red/yukon gold potatoes - wedged into 8's
3 carrots, scrubbed and cut into 1" pieces
1 c. pearl barley
16 oz. bag frozen peas

Dredge beef in seasoned flour.  Heat olive oil in a 7-8 qt. dutch oven over medium high heat, brown most of the sides of each beef piece in batches, placing them in a bowl to catch the juices.  Add oil when necessary to ensure beef browns well.  Place pearl onions into bowl with remaining seasoned flour and stir around to coat.  Place onions into pot and brown, roughly 3-4 minutes.  Add beef back to pot, along with Stout, beef stock, brown sugar and tomato paste.  Bring to simmer, cover and let cook for two hours.

Remove lid and add potatoes, carrots and pearl barley - bring back to simmer, cover and cook for one more hour.  Remove lid, add peas and stir gently to combine.  Let sit for ten minutes with lid off - serve.