Beef Pot Pie with Beer Biscuits

Yes you heard right, Beef Pot Pie with BEER Biscuits.  You think I'm kidding????  I have never seen my 8 year old devour biscuits like these, I actually told him to stop and slow down so he wouldn't get drunk...he totally believed me and said "really?".  It was hilarious LOL

Anyway, this one comes from a cooking with Beer book, there are so many good recipes in there and I'll be trying a few others but this one just called my name, I love a good beef pot pie and I love a good beer and then you combine them and I'm one happy camper.

If you don't like beer or don't like cooking with any alcoholic drinks you can use just a simple biscuit mix.

Beef Pot Pie with Beer Biscuits

Stew:
4 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
salt and black pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
3 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 can (about 14 oz) beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Biscuits:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch chubs
3/4 cup lager

Preheat oven to 350 F.

For stew, cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat 10 minutes or until crisp.  Transfer to paper towels, using slotted spoon.  Reserve fat from Dutch oven.

Return 2 tablespoons of reserved fat to Dutch oven.  Season beef with salt and pepper.  Add to Dutch oven in batches;  cook and stir over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until browned.  Transfer to plate;  reserve fat in Dutch oven.

Add remaining reserved fat to Dutch oven.  Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic;  cook and stir over medium heat 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Sprinkle with flour, stir well.  Stir in beef, broth, Worcestershire sauce and thyme;  bring to a boil.  Cover and pop in oven to bake for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is almost tender.  (recipe doesn't tell you to, but I added the bacon back in)

For biscuits, whisk flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.  Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in enough lager to make soft dough.  Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface.  Roll dough into 9x6 inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into six 3 inch square biscuits.   (I decided to make mine into stars and cut more than six)

Remove Dutch oven from oven, increase oven temperature to 400 F.  Place biscuits over stew, overlapping if needed.  Bake 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

Makes 6 servings