Chicken Stew with Pale Ale and Apples - Recipe

     When I was little one of my favorite cooking aromas was a chicken stew my grandmother made.  Hers had mustard seed, onions, and bay leaves.  In this stew I add more onions, use a pale ale as the base, and include apples for even more flavor fun.  This is an easy stew to make.  The initial browning takes a few minutes, but after that it is a surprisingly quick stew.

Chicken Stew with Pale Ale and Apples

(Serves 6-8)

Palm Oil for frying

Salt for rub

5 lb. Chicken Pieces (about 12-16 pieces)

12 oz. Pale Ale (German)

4 Bay leaves

1 T. Mustard Seed

2 Onions sliced

1 Red Apple sliced

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Heat palm oil in a large sauté pan or 9.5 quart Dutch oven on medium heat.  Lightly salt and fry chicken in batches till brown.  Turn off heat, add ale to pot, turn heat back to medium, and deglaze pan.  Return all chicken and add bay leaves, mustard seed, and onions.  Simmer on low, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the apple and simmer covered for 15 more minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through.  Add salt and pepper to taste.