X’s Beef & Stout Stew

Ok… so work is putting together a Geek’s Cookbook, and has asked all IT folk to consider entering a recipe or three.  Now I’m not a cook but any meaning of the word, but I do pride myself on a Beef & Stout stew that I cook each year for winter.  Om nom nom……
X’s Beef & Stout Stew

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 kg chuck steaks or round steaks or rump beef steaks or 3-4 lamb shanks
salt & pepper
1/4 cup plain flour
2 tablespoons plain flour
1/2 cup water
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 tbsp chopped fresh)
1 can (400ml) Guinness stout or other stout-based beer
4 cups beef stock
2 beef stock cubes
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 onions, cut in wedges
3 carrots, cut in 1-inch pieces
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
12 button mushrooms
2 tins tomatoes (400g)
2 tablespoon woosy (aka Worcestershire sauce).

1. Stir in beer, woosy, stock, the garlic, carrots, potato, tomato, and rosemary to slow cooker set on high.

2. Caramelise onions in butter and sugar in a saucepan then add to cooker.

3. Sprinkle meat lightly with 2 tbsp flour, salt and pepper. In batches, brown meat all over, mix all in to the slow cooker. Set on Auto or Low for 8 hours, or High for 4-5 hours.

4. After 2 hours add mushrooms and stock cubes

5. After cooking, mix remaining flour and water in a cup and add to stew. Stir until thickened. Serve with thick slices of Vienna Bread and a good stout.