Beef + Ale Casserole
This is a hearty beef casserole, cooked long and slow, in stout or beer, giving it a full bodied flavour. Use a cut of beef like shin beef or chuck steak, that becomes soft and unctuous when cooked for a long time.
A wonderful winter warmer.
500g casserole beef (shin or chuck steak) cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 large onion, chopped finely
2-3 carrots, cut into chunks
500ml stout or beer
1 x 400g tin whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar to season
Bouquet garnis – bay leaf, a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary, tied together
Pre-heat oven to 140 degrees C fan.
Dust the beef pieces in the flour and place them in a zip lock bag and shake. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed casserole on the stove top. Fry the beef in small quantities to avoid “stewing” the meat, until brown on all sides.
Remove the beef to a plate, add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, and fry the garlic and onion. Add the carrots and lightly brown.
Return the meat to the casserole. Add the stout or beer. Add the tomatoes, roughly chopping as you mix it in. Fill the tomato tin with water and add the water to the casserole. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and sugar. Place the bouquet garnis into the casserole.
Cook on a medium heat with lid off for 5 minutes, then transfer the casserole, with lid on, to the pre-heated oven. Cook for about two hours or until beef is very tender. If the beef is still a little tough cook for another half hour. The meat should be very tender.
Serve with mash, polenta or just a loaf of good crusty bread.