In a large soup kettle, add the chopped bacon and slowly cook it until nice and crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside. The Bacon gives it just a hint of smokiness but it doesn't over power the other flavors. Chop up the Onion and Celery into small pieces like this. Add 2 TBSP Oil to the reserved bacon fat and turn the heat up to medium.

Add the Celery, Onions and Garlic to the pot and cook and stir until tender and translucent. About 5-6 Minutes. Remove the veggies from the pot and set aside. You now have some rather flavorful oil. Now, onto the Beef!

Put another TBSP of Oil into the Kettle. Place the AP flour, Salt and Pepper into a galleon size plastic bag. Add 1/3 of the Beef cubes and shake well to coat evenly with the flour. Turn up the heat a little bit and place the Beef into the pot. Sear the Beef on both sides over medium high heat and remove to a bowl. Take the pot off the heat while you Flour the next batch so it doesn't burn. Repeat x 2 with the remaining Beef, adding oil as needed. This searing adds fantastic flavor to the stew. It will take 15-20 minutes to sear it all, but oh...so worth it! You want the Beef to end up looking like these beauties.

See this? This is called "Fond." Fond is like delectable crispy brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Nope, it is not burned. Just a deep, dark brown and you want every bit of it. This is what I did the incorporate the Fond into my Stew. I took 1/2 cup Red Wine, added it to the Pot and cooked and stirred until every last piece of Fond dissolved in to wine and made a beautiful rich sauce. You can use water if you like or even some extra beer.

Now we're making Stew! Add the cooked Onions,Celery and Garlic to the dissolved Fond. Then add the Beef and the Carrots. Time to add the Marjoram, Thyme and Chervil to the Pot too. Add the Ketchup. Nest pour in the 1-1/2 cups Water and WOO HOO, add the Porter!

Raise the heat and bring it all to a boil. It's going to foam up like this and not look so very nice for a few minutes but that's OK....because

after a few minutes the Beer foam cooks off and you are left with this goodness. So now, we lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and let time work its magic. Let it simmer for 2-1/2 hours. When the stew has finished simmering, taste it and add Salt and Pepper if needed. The stew should be thick enough from all the Flour used, but if you'd like it thicker, make a slurry with a 2 TBSP of Flour and 4 TBSP of Water and add to the Pot. Bring the Stew back to a boil, add the slurry and let it cook for 3-4 minutes to thicken.

OK.... we are done! Serve it up with lots of fluffy mashed Potatoes sprinkled with Parsley if you like. Mashed Potatoes are perfect to soak up all that outrageous gravy.

And since it is the time of St. Patrick, here is an Irish Blessing I wish you all. "May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you, and all your heart might desire."

And so my friends, wherever your Journey leads you today, I wish you the laughter, love, friendship and the telling of a good story like only the Irish folk can!

Happy St. Patrick's Day and by all means, Journey on! Hugs and much love from me, Karen, TJG