Catelan Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 6 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• ½ cup unsifted flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 3 pounds boned beef chuck, cut in 1½" cubes and trimmed of excess fat
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 2 (12-ounce) cans beer
• 1 tablespoon sugar or light brown sugar (optional)
• Directions mention butter, which was not listed in the ingredients...

Directions

1. Melt butter in large, heavy kettle over moderate heat
2. Add onions and garlic, and sauté, stirring occasionally until golden
3. Drain on paper toweling.
4. Place flour, salt, and pepper in heavy brown paper bag and dredge beef, a few cubes at a time, by shaking in the mixture.
5. Brown beef, a little at a time, in kettle over high heat, adding more butter as needed.
6. Reduce heat to moderate, return beef, onions, and garlic to kettle, add all remaining ingredients except sugar, cover, and simmer slowly, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours until beef is fork tender.
7. Skim any fat from gravy. Taste gravy and if it seems a trifle bitter stir in sugar.
8. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes longer, then serve with tiny boiled new potatoes and tall glasses of well-chilled beer.
9. About 645 calories per serving (without potatoes) [Eric: and depending on the amount of butter, I guess]