Beef in Titanic Stout

Now that the nights have drawn in and the weather has got cooler, I start to fancy darker, richer food as a result the slow cooker gets more of a hammering that usual.

My beer tastes also start to change, I move onto the more autumnal, darker fruity beers such as stouts and porters, that’s not to say I don’t still drink lighter hoppier ales. So what better way to combine and celebrate the change in seasons and habits than by making slow cooked beef.

Award winning stout from Titanic

It’s a really simple recipe that can be left to cook in a pan or can be put in the slow cooker and left ready for when you get in from work. There’s nothing better than getting in after a long dark commute to the smell of slow cooked beef.

It’s up to you which beer you use, I’ve tried it with all sorts including the rather amazing Taddy porter from Sam Smiths, This time it was the turn for Titanic stout.

Titanic Stout is and award winning stout that comes in at 4.5% ABV and is packed full of rich malt with hint’s of coffee and licorice, It’s a little bit on the thin side but that doesn’t really matter too much when cooking with it.

I usually make it the night before then put it in the slow cooker ready to turn on before leaving work in the morning and I like to serve my stew with steamed green veg, dumplings and horseradish mash.

Ingredients

• 600g stewing beef
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 of a turnip or swede, peeled and diced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
• handful of button mushrooms, cleaned
• salt
• pepper
• 3 heaped tablespoons of plain flour
• 2 tablespoons Henderson’s Relish (or Worcestershire sauce)
• 1 bottle of Beer (Titanic Stout)
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs
• 2 small red onions or a handful of shallots. Peeled and sliced.
• 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
• 1 beef oxo cube
• olive oil
• Mashed potatoes, Green Vegetables and Dumplings to server with.

Method

1. Heat some olive oil in a large pan, crumble in the stock cube and add the tomato puree, as it starts to bubble add the beef followed by the flour, stir well until the meat is browned.
2. Add the Henderson’s sauce followed by the herbs and spices.
3. Next add the vegetables and cook until softened.
4. Add the whole bottle of beer, minus a small glass for tasting purposes.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Simmer for 10 minutes, check the seasoning and adjust if necessary, you can also add the sugar here if you find the stew too bitter.
7. Then transfer to your slow cooker.
8. Cook in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours on medium heat.
9. Serve with your mash, veg and dumplings.